Turning Points II
by Ulrich
Summary: a NGE-What if? starting with the angel Bardiel * completed
1. Introduction and Prolog

Turning Points - Tale 2: Gendo Ikari  
  
  
Legal Boilerplate:  
NGE and the characters used with the expection of Wolf Larsen are property of GAINAX.   
Used without permission.  
  
All mistakes made are mine alone.  
  
This the second translation I make of one of my FFs from german to english, so there might   
be all kinds of mistake, since neither I nor my dictonary are as perfect as I would like it.  
If you happen to find a mistake you can either keep it or tell me about it, thanks.  
  
I have labeled all my NGE-FFs Turning Points, but they all have beginnigs and endings of   
their own. TP-III is already up at this side.  
  
And since I do not wish anybody wasting his/her time reading this - this won´t be a   
Shinji/Asuka-Fic, I simply can´t do that to him.  
  
Have fun!  
  
  
  
  
Prolog:  
  
Tokio-3, NERV-headquarters, commandcenter  
  
"Contact with unit two lost." - "Pilot evacuated, medical team is underway!" - "Target  
is moving towards unit zero!" - "Blue pattern confirmed!" - "No lifesigns from within  
the entryplug!"  
  
Gendo Ikari sat behind his desk at the commandcenter´s top level, looking down on the  
officers within the lower levels, before joining the radiocontact to the EVANGELION-   
units.  
"Rei, avoid close combat, but prevent the target from progressing, I am sending unit one."  
  
"Understood." it came completly calm out of the loud-speaker.  
  
The monitors showed the unit zero wasn´t moving, even with the target approaching.  
  
"What is she waiting for?" the second-in-command who stood right behind Ikari whispered.  
  
"It´s invading!" The voice coming out of the speaker grew louder, the words came more  
rapid but still controlled. Then a scream followed.  
  
Lieutenant Maya Ibuki looked up.  
"Commander, the angel is invading the left arm, neural joints are being invaded."  
  
"Cut off the arm."  
Ikari´s voice was cold and without emotions.  
  
"But we must cut off the nerve connection first..."  
  
"Cut off the left arm, now!"   
  
"Yes, Sir!"  
  
Another scream.  
  
For a moment Ikari closed his eyes.  
  
"Middle class damage to the Unit Zero, and the pilot has been injured." Ibuki said.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Matsushiro, the ruins of the NERV-testing area  
  
Shinji Ikari withstood the urge to press his hands against his ears while Rei Ayanami´s  
scream shrilled out of the speaker next to his head.  
"No..."  
Ayanami...  
  
"The target is approaching. You will have contact within 20 seconds. Take care of the  
angel."  
Another voice replaced the scream, the cold voice of a man, the voice of Gendo Ikari,  
Shinji´s father.  
  
"You call it the target, but it is an EVANGELION, is noone within the entryplug - a  
child of my age...?"  
  
Unit three came closer, a silent black giant.  
  
Shinji made EVA-01 step aside to be able to have a look at the other EVA´s neck region.  
  
There is was, a red plug, covered by a fungus-like tissue, as if a child had placed a  
chewinggum on the robot´s back.  
  
"An entryplug - somebody is aboard!"  
He was speaking more to himself than to the people within the commandcenter.   
  
The first punch hit unit one while EVA-03 was still out of reach. EVA-01 stumbled backwards,   
Shinji thought to have been hit into the stomach.  
He saw the second punch coming, unit three´s arm seemed to have transformed into a rubberband,   
hitting him heavyly against the rips.  
  
Shinji gasped with eyes wide open, feeling each and every hit as if he had been hit himself.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-headquarters, commandcenter  
"Trouble in life support." - "The pilot is in danger."  
  
The sub-commander stepped forward to Ikari´s side.  
"Oh no. Cut the synchronization to 60%."  
  
"Wait." Gendo revoked Fuyutsuki´s order.  
  
"But if you maintain the status, the pilot will die."  
  
Ikari ignored the older man, turned toward the radio.  
"Shiji, why don't you fight?"  
  
"But there is a person inside, father."  
  
"It doesn't matter. It is an Angel. Our Enermy."  
  
"But I cannot do that. I have to save the one. I cannot kill a person."  
  
There was a short pause between Shinji´s words and Gendo´s answer, only Fuyutsuki notices  
it, as well as he notices the fact that Gendo´s lost a bit of it´s common sharpness.  
"You will die."  
  
"I don't care. It's much better than killing someone."  
  
Ikaris gaze fixed on Maya.  
"Go ahead and cut the synchronization of the pilot and unit one completely."  
  
"Cutting off, sir?"  
  
"Yes. Switch the circuit to the dummy plug."  
  
"But sir, the dummy system still has many problems, and without Akagi's direction..."  
  
"It works better than the pilot. Do it."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Matsushiro, the ruins of the NERV-testing area  
  
EVA-01 was hit again and again and with EVA-01 it´s pilot was hit.  
  
Shinji was bleeding from mouth and nose but did nothing to defend himself or even start  
a counterattack. Too great his fear was to hurt or even kill the other unit´s pilot.  
  
Suddenly the lights within the entryplug went out, when the link to the EVA was broken.  
At the same time the pain regressed and Shinji was able to breath again. Only the main  
screen was still active, showing what EVA-01´s eyes were seeing.  
  
"What? What have you done, father?"  
  
He got no answer.  
  
EVA-01 moved without his orders, stormed toward EVA-03, beating the whip-like arms aside,  
suddenly grabbing one of the arms and pulling the other one towards itself.  
  
A cracking within radio-link.  
"... pilot is with me. I repeat, the pilot is in safety..."  
  
Shinji´s heart skipped a beat.  
Misato-san... she´s alive... There´s no other human within EVA-03...  
  
At the same time EVA-01 ripped one of the other unit´s arms out of the socket and threw  
it far away, dug it´s finger into the chest armor, opening it without effort, digging  
it´s finger through the skin and into the innard.  
  
"Are you able to fight now?" his father asked, despise within his voice.  
  
Shinji swallowed.  
"Yes."  
He felt anger, anger towards himself, his father and the other EVANGELION-unit, but mostly   
towards himself. Anger that wanted to be canalized. And the only available target  
was the angel-possessed EVANGELION in front of him that had hurt Asuka and Ayanami.  
  
"Dummyplug deactivated."  
  
The lights in the plug brightened. Shinji reached for the controls.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Gendo Ikari turned away when the destruction of the angel had been confirmed.  
He didn´t tell his son whose screams of anger came from the speaker and who was tearing  
unit three apart with his EVA´s hands.  
"Fuyutsuki, the german branch shall hurry up with completion of EVA-04, I want the unit  
to be here as soon as possible."  
  
"I will tell them. You know, that they´ve already found a pilot?!"  
  
"Yes, even as I don´t unterstand it... We don´t need pilot Suzuhara anymore, let him go  
home, but tell him not to talk about what has happened..."  
  
  
  
next: EVA-04, the EVANGELION that fell from the sky... 


	2. Chapter 01 - EVA-04

Chapter 01 - EVA-04  
  
Tokio-3, at school, two weeks later  
  
"Today EVA-04 will arrive", Shinji mumbled, trying to start a conversation.  
  
"Yes." Rei answered monotonously, but at least this was some kind of success.  
  
Asuka looked up to the clear blue sky.  
Lets just hope that the pilot is no mutant like baka-Shinji or Wondergirl she thought.  
  
They are sitting within a large tree´s shadow during lunch-break. A bit farther away Touji   
and Hikari were sitting, holding hands. One of Touji´s legs was still bandaged, about a week   
ago he had returned to school after having been amiss for quite a while, walking on crutches.   
He had told them that he had fallen down the stairs, and classrepresentant Hikari Horaki had   
felt the urge to help him.  
  
Rei knew that the story was a lie, but she had no reason to talk about it.  
  
Asuka was thinking of Kaji and sighed.  
  
"What´s up?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Nothing, baka."  
  
"Gomen."  
  
Yes, yes, gomen, gomen, gomen... always gomen. Sometimes he is the kind of doll Rei is.  
Asuka suppressed another sighing. She had seen a part of the new pilot´s file at Kaji´s  
bureau.  
Wolf Larsen from Germany, finally somebody who speaks my motherlanguage. I thought  
EVA-04 to come from the united states, but there seems to have been an incident...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-HQ  
  
"The transport with EVA-04 has started from the main land as planed", Maya Ibuki read the   
last radio message.  
  
"ETA?"  
  
"As planed in about three hours, Major Katsuragi."  
  
Misato Katsuragi, tactical offiver of NERV, nodded. After the destruction of the original  
unit four together with the complete american branch another unit had been completly   
assembled at the german branch and the only available pilot would arrive with it this   
evening.  
Lets just hope that there will be no problems.  
  
Of course fate had planed other things than fulfilling Misato´s wishes...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka and Shinji were on their way home, when their cellphones started beeping, telling  
them to come to headquarters.  
The two teenagers started running...  
  
  
***  
  
  
The angel´s form resembled a fastly rotating top, it had suddenly appeared at the city´s  
western border, and moved through the lines of defense without problems.  
Another line of defense was prepared at the city´s edge, but probably it was only able  
to buy them some time.  
The attack-record´s slow-motion showed that the angel had eight eyes, each of them firing  
a concentrated energy beam, and a large main eye on the top, it´s fast rotation produced  
a very effective defense.  
  
Misato was already preparing a plan to stop the engel when was told about the children´  
arrival. Immediatly she open a comlink to the hangar.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka was just entering the entryplug of EVA-02. Of course Rei had already arrived at  
headquarters before them, of course she had already worn her plugsuit...  
Little miss perfect...  
  
"The angel is passing the defenses at the city´s edge!" Misato´s voice came via radio.  
"We will send all three units to intercept it. I am transmitting all available data to  
your tactical computers."  
  
"Pff... child´s play" Asuka commentated the picture appearing on her screen. But she  
wasn´t feeling quite as sure as she acted.  
How shall we get close enough to pierce the AT-field?  
  
"All armories between the start-shafts and the angel are open."  
  
"I suggest attack-pattern C." Rei said.  
  
´I suggest attack-pattern C.´ - Wondergirl, when did you start to think with your own  
brain?  
  
"Accepted", Misato answered. "EVA-00 and EVA-02 will fire at the angel from the sides  
and draw it´s attention, while Shinji does a frontal assault from above and neutralizes  
the AT-field."  
  
"Why can´t I..." Asuka protested.  
  
"Because of Shinji having better reaction-times." Misato disrupted any further diskussions.  
"Initiate start-sequenz."  
  
On the screen the countdown started, when it reached ´0´ the EVAs were launched.  
  
"You know, where a armories and maintenance-cables are. Good luck."  
  
The three EVAs started moving westwards...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"The transport plane shall take course at Osaka-2", Gendo Ikari´s voice sounded through  
the commandcenter.  
"We can´t afford EVANGELION-04 damaged before it´s first mission."  
  
And what about the pilot? If the plane gets damaged the only thing to come to the ground  
in one piece would be the EVA.  
Misato didn´t spoke her thoughts.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Above the clouds:  
  
"We shall take course at another landingplace", the pilot told his passenger.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"An angel is attacking Tokio-3."  
  
"Stay on this course."  
  
"But the orders..." the pilot started.  
  
"Ignore the orders, the radio is jammed. Stay on the original course but fly at an lower  
height. Prepare to open the cargobay above the combat area." the other voice seemed to  
be used to give orders.  
  
"Aye, aye, Lieutenant-Commander."  
  
Behind him the cockpit´s door was opened and closed, then the screens showed the hatch  
of the cargobay had been opened and closed.  
Good luck...  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-00 und -02 were armed with positronriffles, they had already arrived with unit one  
at the city´s edge where angel just crushed the final defensebatteries.  
  
"Damned... it´s so big..." Shinji mumbled.  
  
The angel was as large as an EVA but hovered above the ground.  
  
"Stop cursing and take your position, baka!" Asuka shouted.  
  
"Yes." Shinji answered with a hint of submission.  
Why do I let her do this do me?  
  
Shinji made his EVA climb a house, careful watching out of stay out of the angel´s sight.  
The building moved under the EVAs weight a bit, when Shinji finally cowered on the top  
and drew the progressive-knife, preparing for the jump.  
  
Meanwhile Rei and Asuka were firing at the angel from two sides, the positronbullets   
destroying anything within their path, finally hitting the angel´s AT-field.  
Lightning danced an the field´s surface, but it wasn´t pierced.  
The angel slowed down, suddenly it moved very fast into Rei´s direction, for a moment  
the energybeams seemed to become one when it increased it´s rotation, hitting EVA-00 with  
all it´s might.  
  
Rei sceamed...  
  
EVA-00 stumbled backwards, crashing into a building, pulling it down.  
  
"Ayanami... REI!" Shinji screamed.  
Bloody bastad... if she´s got hurt again...  
His EVA reacted at his anger and gave a loud challenging shout.  
Shinji jumped from the roof of the building towards the angel, the knife readied to deliever   
the deathstroke.  
  
But during the jump the maintenance cable snapped, robbing some of the jump´s strenght.  
As a result the jump was shorter than planed, the knife´s blade scratched over the AT-  
field´s surface, finally pierced it, when the EVA´s AT-field came into contact with the  
angel´s, but missed the maineye, hitting one of the other eyes instead.  
Shinji tried to gain a hold on the still rotating angel to escape the energybeams.  
His scream ended in a gargle when he started to fight with his lunch.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato hit her forehead with the open hand.  
Damned, damned, damned... No radio-connection with unit one anymore... What now?  
"Asuka..."  
  
"I can´t fire, or I will hit unit one... let it go, Shinji!"  
  
"Major, EVA-04 is on the screens...!"  
  
"What?"  
  
Then she saw it herself, coming from the northwest the transport approached, it´s cargo  
clearly visible in the holding clamsps - a deep black EVA unit with red stripes running  
down by the sides on it´s body and red marks on the joints. Another screen showed the  
pilot´s lifesigns.  
  
Didn´t they got the order to change course?  
  
"Transport is descending!"  
  
The holding clasps were opened...  
  
The internal-energy downdown started at three minutes.  
  
EVA-04 fell...  
... spread it´s arms, pulled up the knees...  
... it´s two pairs of eyes started glowing...  
... from within each hand three progressive blades came...  
... with activated jetpacks it moved into position...  
... attacked the angel...  
... missed...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Larsen..." Gendo Ikari whispered with anger. But he couldn´t tunr his gaze from the  
main screen and the EVA unit with his son within.  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-04 hadn´t hit the main eyes with it´s claws, but it had pierced the angel´s AT-field,  
that has been weakened by EVA-01´s presence, slid down the angel´s side, but didn´t try  
to gain a hold like unit one.  
Shortly before touching the gound with it´s feet it attack once again, carving the claws  
of both hands into through the angel´s armored skin.  
  
Blue fluids, not unlike blood, came from the wounds.  
  
EVA-04 pressed the feet against the ground to slow down the rotation...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Shinji regained consciousness, the world was still moving before his eyes, his stomach  
revolted, within the entryplug it stank and his lunch was moving within the LCL.  
  
That´s embaressing...  
  
He looked at the internal energy countdown. Just a minute of activity left...  
  
The angel stood still.  
  
Shinji pulled the knife out of the minor eyes and slashed out against the main eyes,  
once, twice, three times...  
  
Die! Die! Die!  
He still heard Rei screaming.  
  
... until the EVA ran out of energy.  
  
It had been enough, the angel burst.  
  
Suddenly Asuka´s red EVA appeared, grabbed unit one and four and pushed them away.  
  
Behind them the angel´s remains exploded.  
  
A comlink from unit four was opened, but no picture appeared on the screen.  
"Thanks for the rescue."  
  
Asuka didn´t know the voice, she only knew that it had to be the new pilot´s.  
So manly, like Kaji´s.  
She blushed.  
  
"Is Rei okay?" Shinji asked without addressing anybody in particular.  
  
At the commandcenter Misato looked once again at the still unreadable data from unit zero´s   
entryplug, but just before she started to answer, EVA-00 rose from the rumble.  
  
"Light damaged... and a bit of dizzyness." Rei´s voice came from the loudspeaker, not as  
monotonous as usual but still far away from being that of an ordinary human.  
Ikari-kun was angry at the angel... He was worried... because of me... Do I mean something   
for him?  
  
The same moment EVA-04´s energy countdown reached 00:00:00.  
And within the entryplug the pilot shut down all systems manuelly...  
  
  
***  
  
  
The scavaging of the four EVAs didn´t take a lot of time, since Asuka and Rei were still  
connected with maintenance and now connected the cables to EVA-01 and -04, too.  
  
One after one the four giants moved through the empty streets of Tokio-3 towards the   
launching-bays and were carried into the geofront.  
  
Shinji left his entryplug as fast as he could to look after his comrades-in-arms.  
  
Next to him Rei was climbing out of the hatch, still staggering, a large bruise on her  
forehead. At once he was by her side to support her, nearly pushing a medic and a tech  
from the catwalk.  
"Are you okay, Rei?"  
  
She looked at him with her red eyes.  
"You called me Rei... not Ayanami...?!"  
  
"I... gomen, Ayanami..."  
  
"No, it´s okay. I like it... Shinji..."  
She blinked. And smiled... Just a moment and specificly only the corners of her mouth  
twitched a little bit, but he was able to read it.  
"Thank you. Thank you for thinking of me."  
  
And who thinks of me? Asuka thought angryly and with a bit of jealousy. Maybe if I  
bang my head against my EVA´s surface, just a little...  
Then she looked at unit four where two techs had opened the hatch of the not completly  
ejected entryplug and the pilot was climbing out of the hatch.  
  
And her jaw dropped.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Somewhere  
(the typical secret headquarter, it´s nearly completly dark, only the silhuetts of the  
some people can be seen within the light emanating from a large screen.)  
  
"It seems that Agent Seraph has reached the NERV-headquarter", a man´s voice commentated  
the pictures of EVA-04 slowly disappearing in a launch-shaft.  
  
"His mission must succeed. Prepare for stage two." 


	3. Chapter 02 - Wolf Larsen

Chapter 02 - Larsen  
  
  
Asuka looked at unit four where two techs had opened the slightly distorted hatch and the  
pilot was leaving the entryplug.  
She looked again, blinked, and looked for a third time.  
No way... that can´t be an EVA-pilot...  
  
The pilot wore a grey pilotkombination with the charakter ´Lt.Larsen´ in westeuropean letters   
on the breast pocket, with black boots and gloves.  
His shortcut hair was of deepblack colour, his face had a healthy colour.  
And most definitly he wasn´t a teenager.  
  
... he is at least as old as Kaji...  
  
Larsen stretched and smoothed his uniform while looking around the hangar.  
He saw the red EVA unit two and started moving, walking across the catwalk towards Asuka.  
  
Is he walking up towards me?  
She looked around, Shinji still was by Rei´s side, who seemed oblivious to the fact that he   
stank of vomit ten miles against the wind, or maybe it didn´t interest her.  
  
"I guess that you are the red EVA´s pilot who saved my back, aren´t you?" Larsen asked Asuka,   
his voice the same she´d already heard from the radio.  
  
"Ehm, yes, EVA-02 is mine."  
Why am I blushing? Why?  
  
Larsen smiled friendly and bowed.  
"Then I have to thank you, since the EVA´s fields wouldn´t have withstood the explosion."  
He offered her his hand.  
"Wolf Larsen, Lieutenant of New Germany´s strikeforces."  
  
Automatically she took the hand.  
"Asuka... Asuka Soryu Langley."  
  
"Nice to meet you."  
His eyes were brown with a bit of redbrown.  
  
Hm, t least his manners are good.  
  
"And those are the other children?"  
  
Damned. Now he will go to them and Wondergirl will somehow steal me the spotlight.  
But she nodded, why denying the obvious?  
  
Then doctor Akagi and Commander Ikari arrived.  
  
"Welcome to Tokio-3, Larsen", Ikari greeted the newcomer with icecold voice.  
  
"Commander Ikari." Larsen bowed slightly.  
  
"Forget this nonsense and follow me."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
When he passed Akagi she asked: "Did EVA-04 suffer any damages?"  
  
"Nothing that woundn´t regenerate by itself."  
  
"Good, come to me for a medical check after taking to the Commander."  
  
"I was already checked before leaving. Here is my medical file."  
He gave the scientist a file.  
  
"... thanks."  
  
"Is... is this truely the pilot of unit four?" Shinji stammered.  
  
Rei didn´t say anything, just looked at Larsen until he had disappeared throught the door.  
Something... familiar...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Why did you ignore the orders to change course?" Gendo Ikari asked, his voice sharp  
enough to cut through steel.  
  
"Which orders, Sir?" Larsen answered with unmoving face. "When we arrived we only got  
unclear messages, the only thing we managed to get to know was that an angel was moving  
towards the town. Since I was send to Japan to fight the angels I decided to act immediatly."  
  
While Ikari sat behind his desk doing his hand thing Larsen stood straightly, hands at  
the sides of his trousers.  
  
"You did not recieve the orders?"  
  
"No, Sir."  
At least it wasn´t recorded.  
  
"Hm, good." The commander looked at the newcommer darkly across his hands. "I will believe  
you - once. But you know, that you endangered the EVANGELION unit?!"  
  
"Sir, if that is the big problem the EVAs shouldn´t be used against the angels at all,   
with all due respect, Sir."  
  
"Stop that, Larsen. You are with NERV now, not with the PALADIN-project anymore. Your  
rank is insignificant. The only thing important is that you are able to pilot an EVA unit,  
as strange as the circumstances are."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"You can go now, Major Katsuragi will give you further orders, you´ll find her at the  
commandcenter."  
  
"Thank you, Sir."  
Larsen salutated and left the bureau.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Instead of commandcenter he entered the next bathroom, turned open the faucet and let the   
water run.  
  
A short time later another person entered the room, Ryoji Kaji, who grinned at Larsen.  
"Nice to meet you again, Wolf. How was you flight?"  
  
"Turbulent."  
  
"Probably like your first meeting with commander, eh?"  
  
Larsen rubbed his eyes, removed his contacts, looked into the mirror, where two red orbs  
withous iris starred back at him, no human, but artifial eyes.  
"With a little bit of luck he´ll deem me to be an arrogant officer and leaves me alone.  
At least he will know that he´s not dealing with a teenager he can manipulate as he likes."  
  
"A lot has happened since we met the last time at the german branch of NERV."  
  
"That´s the reason I am here."  
  
"Howmany Raven did ODIN send?"  
  
"With you?"  
  
"Why to I have the feeling that I won´t like the answer...?"  
  
"Well, with the two of us we are three. We couldn´t send anymore agents without drawing  
suspicions. Your report has made a lot of people quite nervous."  
  
"So this must be enough... - How is your daughter?"  
  
"Well... I fear that she will be alone this christmas."  
He removed the left glove and splashed a handful of water into his face.  
  
"Have her come here."  
  
"No, too dangerous with all the angels around." he whispered the last words.  
and she would be recognized, he added within his thoughts.  
  
"Probably you are right. Take care, Lieutenant, in your own interests - and in hers."  
  
"And you take care, too, Kaji. Maybe we will have to leave very fast."  
He put in the contacts again, turned off the running water, put on the glove.  
"We keep meeting at the strangest places."  
  
"If I remember correctly you were climbing last time a half-finished EVA unit..."  
  
"Yeah, and I nearly lost my balance. At least you had something to laugh."  
  
"Yes..." Kaji shok Larsen´s hand. "Welcome to NERV, if nobody told you already."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato´s kitchen, later that evening:  
  
"Misato-san?"  
  
"Hm, Asuka?"  
  
"Why can he pilot an EVA?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The old man - Larsen."  
  
"Eh, well, that´s such a thing..."  
  
"I mean, they told us that only children born within the year after Second Impact were  
able to synch with an EVA unit."  
  
"And since he is older..."  
  
"Misato, that man is ancient!"  
  
Misato threw her a deadly look.  
"He is only about a year older than I am."  
I need a beer...  
  
"Ahm, yes... So, why is he able to pilot an EVA?"  
  
"Ask him yourself, it´s quite personal."  
  
"Och."  
Asuka stood up and went over to Shinji who did the wash up.  
"And did you blame us today?"  
  
"W-Why?"  
  
"Well, jumping from that building, nice try, but in practice the stupidest thing I´ve  
ever seen. To forget that you still had the cable in your EVAs back..."  
  
"Gomen." Shinji didn´t meet her eyes but was still drying the dishes.  
  
Somehow Asuka was unable to enjoy this, somehow she even felt sorry.  
"It´s okay, I didn´t mean it that way." she whispered softly so that only he was able to  
hear her and smiled at him.  
  
Shinji blinked, waiting for the next explosion, that didn´t happen.  
What´s up with her?  
Then a timid smile appeared on his face.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Rei stood by the window of her untidy as ever apartment and looked up to the moon, humming  
a melody she was unable to get out of her head anymore.  
Fly me to the moon...  
  
Again she remembered the fight against the last angel, remembered how they attacked it  
from different angles and how it suddenly concentrated the fire at her. For a short time  
her EVA hadn´t reacted, for a terribly long moment it had been completly dark inside the  
plug and completly silent...  
For this moment she had felt completly cut off from the world and all other human...  
  
Then she had been able to sense her surroundings again using the EVA´s senses, had Shinji  
heard screaming her name...  
Shinji... he was afraid for me... I mean something for him...  
  
... had been a witness to his attack without being able to move. Unit zero had only slowly  
reacted, without the other EVAs the angel would have had no problems destroying it.  
  
Finally EVA-04 had arrived and bought EVA-01 the necessary time for a second assault.  
  
She had seen the new pilot only shortly at the hangar and only from behind, her heart to  
busy with Shinji caring for her.  
But there had been something familiar, like a reflection from an old mirror... like a  
memory from another life...  
  
She looked up to the moon.  
How beautiful...  
  
  
  
  
next: an unwilling EVA 


	4. Chapter 03 - ´Who is there?`

Disclaimer: this FF doesn´t contain any self-insert characters.  
  
  
  
Chapter 03 - "Who is there?"  
  
  
Commander Gendo Ikari´s bureau  
  
"Ritsuko, what is the EVAs´ current state?"  
  
Ritsuko Akagi shivered a bit. Commander Ikari only used her first name when noone else  
was around. The cold within his voice gave her name a strange missound. She looked at  
her notices to hide her impressions.  
"EVA-01 and -02 have suffered no damaged, alas, we will have to replace some of unit  
zero´s armor, anything will be regenerated by the unit itself. EVA-04 has suffered light  
damage within the reinforced leg-joints due to the impact, but this has been mostly  
regenerated already. But I have to mention some error within the construction."  
  
"Speak."  
  
"The entryplug can´t be removed completly and the hatch is slightly deformed. I guess  
it happened due to the hurry the unit had to be completed in. It won´t be possible to  
use a dummyplug with unit four for the next time. A reading of the data gave me the  
impression that the reactions are by far too slower compared to the other units."  
  
"The reason?"  
  
"Larsen is unable to completly synch, it´s a miracle that EVA-04 accepts his commands."  
  
"We are already looking for a replacement. Have the MAGI calculate if the diffences in  
construction have an additional influence on the synchronisation."  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-testcenter  
  
Shinji looked at the deep black EVA-04 unit with the red stripes.  
  
The lights were mirrored within the tri-polymer-titaniumarmor as was as his face.  
EVA-04 wasn´t as big as the other other but broader, like an old heavyweight boxer who  
was waiting for his opponent.  
  
If there might be a connection to the pilot?  
  
The plug´s entryhatch was open, that was an unusual thing, usually a plug wouldn´t be  
inside it´s EVA without a pilot within. - An error of construction as Shinji had heard.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" Doctor Akagi asked.  
  
He looked up.  
"Gomen."  
He wore his plugsuit, synchtests were scheduled that now were also involving EVA-04 since   
each of them should be able to pilot any other unit - with the exceptions of Asuka  
and EVA-02.  
Hurrying he entered the narrow entryplug that was nearly completly filled by the pilotseat,   
the seats and the controlls.  
  
There´s more space within the other plug... he thought while squeezing around the  
seat. Behind him the hatch was closed.  
  
"Are you ready?" Misato asked via radio. She, Akagi, Rei and Asuka were at the command-  
room of the testarea.  
  
"Uhm, yes."  
  
"And here comes the LCL."  
  
He reached for the controlls.  
  
"Synchtest started!"  
  
The EVA did not react.  
  
Shinji blinked.  
There was... nothing... no answer at his thoughts, no reaction, no echo.  
  
"Shinji, is something wrong?"  
  
"Ah, I don´t know. It´s unusual... silent."  
  
"Synchtest abborted."  
  
The LCL redrew.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Why doesn´t he synchronize?" Ritsuko mumbled and stared at her screen. Not one synaps-  
link had been joined.  
  
"Probably he´s afraid. It´s not his EVA-01." Asuka said gleefully.  
  
"He hasn´t had any problems with unit zero." Rei said softly.  
  
Asuka threw her a look. "Oh, yes, I remember. ´It smells like Ayanami.´ That pervert.  
Who knows what he is smelling right now."  
  
"You can go and find out, Asuka." Misato interrupted the redhead and pointed at the  
EVA unit on the other side of the window.  
  
"No problem!"  
Asuka stormed into the hangar, doing gestures as if she was pushing her plugsuit´s  
sleeves upwards.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Shinji was just leaving the plug after two techs had helped opening the hatch.  
  
"What have you done again?" Asuka shouted from afar, just stepping onto the catwalk.  
  
"Uh. Nothing, EVA-04 just did not react. Gomen."  
  
"Ah, Dummkopf, let me try!" She pushed him aside and climbed into the plug.  
(trans.: Dummkopf = Idiot)  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Control rewritten for pilot Langley. Initiate test sequence."  
  
She concentrated. Her EVA-02 reacted after all the training nearly at once at her commands,   
but this time, with EVA-04... nothing happened. And that made her angry.  
  
"So it has to be force!"  
She reach for the controls. - that didn´t move an inch.  
  
"Stupid machine, move!"  
  
Why should I?  
  
With a startled ´Iiiip´ she let go of the controls and jumped backwards into the seat.  
"What was that?"  
  
"Asuka, everything alright?" Misato asked.  
  
"Whom are you talking to?" Akagi asked.  
  
Asuka looked around inside the plug. She was alone - of course - there wasn´t enough  
room for another person.  
They will think that I am crazy.  
"N-nobody, everything´s okay." she mumbled.  
  
"You just had a synch of about 5%, try again!"  
  
"Good."  
She was nervous, something was wrong with the EVA unit.  
Slowly she reached for the controls again while trying to connect to the EVA conscious  
again.  
"Move!"  
  
O-kay.  
  
This time she did not jump up, did not scream since she came to the conclusion that it  
was the EVA itself that answered. She had connected to it other in an other way than  
planed.  
  
Who are you? she formulated her thoughts.  
  
EVA-04, constructed at the German NERV-branch, Hamburg-2, New Germany.  
Some technical informations followed, then the day of it´s first activation.  
Assigned Pilot: Lieutenant Wolf Larsen... Identifying new pilot: Asuka Soryu Langley.  
Checking authorisation...  
  
That must be some kind of security protocol. EVA-02 has never talked to me...  
  
Asuka Soryu Langley, Second Children, assigned pilot of EVA-02, member of NERV.   
Limited access granted.  
  
What does that mean again?  
  
Hardware-configuration inadequate for granting further access.  
Then the EVA´s voice fell silent again.  
  
On the other hand Asuka was now able to move the controls, alas, EVA-04 didn´t react at  
her mental commands.  
  
EVA-04 started moving within it´s cage, the left hand formed a fist, three progressive-  
blades grew from the back of the hand. The fist was opened again, the claws sprung back  
into the hand. Thel ower arm was raised, index and middle fingers stretched, forming a  
´V´, the victory-sign.  
  
"Ha! I did it!"  
  
"Asuka, we stop the test."  
  
"Yes. How was my performance?"  
  
"Synchrate was sometimes above the 25% mark."  
  
Asuka good mood vanished. 25% that meant something along the lines of ´We are sorry, but  
the angel demolished the EVA without it raising a finger.´  
"Let me out of this thing."  
  
  
***  
  
  
So only Rei was left, already on her way to the plug with Asuka climbing out of it.  
  
Within her thoughts the redhead cursed the hatch but calmed down thinking that it wasn´t  
her EVA and that she wouldn´t have anything to do with that %§"%"%"-thing afterwards.  
  
Rei came towards her, eyes straight forward.  
  
"Try to do it better, Wondergirl!" Asuka whispered when passing her.  
  
"I will."  
  
Why is she already doing what she is told?  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Rei, the controls have been rewritten for you."  
  
"Yes."  
  
She just sat in the pilotseat and did nothing.  
  
The plug smells of nobody... and it is very silent... EVA-04, answer me, please.  
  
Yes?  
  
The other voice within her head took Rei by surprise but did not startle her, since she  
was used to strange things happening.  
  
EVA-04?  
  
Unit EVA-04, constructed at Hamburg-02, New Germany. Assigned pilot: Lieutenant Wolf Larsen.   
Identifying new pilot: Rei Ayanami, First Children, assigned pilot of EVA-00, member of NERV.   
Welcome, Rei.  
  
The mental voice had a friendly sound like the EVA was realy pleased to meet her.  
  
Like he recognices me...?  
  
Full access granted.  
  
EVA-00 had never talked to her, not with words.  
The next moment she felt the sensation of synching with the EVA, it´s legs becoming her´s,   
it´s arms becoming her arms.  
  
EVA-04 stretched as far as the cage permitted, eyes glowing.  
  
  
***  
  
  
"EVA-04 ready." Rei´s voice came out of the speakers.  
  
"Synchrate at 78%" Misato read the screen. "Well done, Rei."  
  
Asuka suppressed an angry scream.  
And I even told her to do it!  
With all control she was able to she asked: "Am I still needed?"  
  
"No, the test is over." Ritsuko answered.  
  
Asuka left the room, followed by Shinji.  
  
"Uhm, Asuka..."  
  
"Yes?" she hissed.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you... uhm... I think you didn´t do bad, too."  
  
"Not bad? Not bad? You... you..."  
Her right hand twitched, she was about to beat him up, but then she notices that he had  
only tried to be nice to her. The urge to beat somebody vanished.  
"Hm... But I think it´s time for asking some questions..."  
  
"But... whom?"  
  
"Don´t asked such stupid question - the new pilot, of course!"  
  
  
  
next: Asuka, Inquisitor  



	5. Chapter 04 - ´Why?´

Chapter 04 - "Why?"  
  
  
The MAGIs´ informationsystem had led Asuka and Shinji to one of the hydroponical gardens  
within the geofront. There they found Wolf Larsen sitting on a bench, eyes closed. He  
made the impression to be ready for a mission, still wearing his pilotsuit, alas the  
impression was disturbed by his closed eyes.  
  
"Asuka, wait, maybe he doesn´t want to be disturbed."  
  
"So he should have put a sign around his neck!"  
  
Larsen opened his eyes a bit, saw the redhead stand in front of him, hands on her hips  
like an ancient god of vengence.  
  
Behind her Shinji Ikari stood whose face showed his thoughts.  
I don´t think this to be a good idea.  
  
Larsen opened his eyes, lifted the brows and smiled friendly.  
"Seems like the test are over. Can I be ony any assistance?"  
  
"You bet." Asuka slightly bowed towards him. "Why can you pilot an EVA?"  
  
For a second the smile on his face vanished.  
  
Behind her Shinji gestured her to calm down but of course she didn´t notice him.  
  
Larsen sighed.  
"Well, this question just had to come sooner or later."  
  
"Exactly. And don´t tell me that you are the Fourth Children, since you are most defnitly  
way too old!"  
  
"You are right; I was born about fifteen years before Second Impact..."  
  
"Ha!"  
  
"... but you could also say that I was reborn at the day of Second Impact." he completed  
the sentence. "You truely want to know why, don´t you?"  
  
"Yes. Why does EVA-04 follow your orders?"  
  
Slowly Larsen raised a hand to his head, pushed back the black hair above the left temple.   
There was metal shining...  
  
"What... is that?"  
Asuka blinked, losing some of her temper.  
  
"Sit down." He patted the plastic bench to his left and to his right.  
"I was injured quite badly during Second Impact. Well, I guess I had been lucky still,  
considering that about one half of humanity had been killed."  
  
Shinji felt the urge to say sorry but swallowed his words and sat down.  
Asuka sat down of the other side, still staring at the adult.  
  
"Heavy braindamages... I had been for about four weeks in a dark room alone to my  
thoughts, connected to all kinds of machinery... They did some experimental surgery,  
replacing parts of my brain by artifial grown tissue, cybernetic emitters and a little  
computer basing on one of the first MAGI-models. That computer transmits my brainpattern  
to the EVA-controls and enables me to pilot."  
He softly pointed at his skull.  
"Well, and then they started to reconstruct my body."  
  
"Reconstruct?" Shinji echoed and swallowed hard.  
  
Without words Larsen stretched his right arm, unbuttoned the sleeve of his suit and  
pushed the sleeve upwards, showing them an arm made of black metal with a red stripe  
running across the lower arm.  
  
Like his EVA... Shinji thought.  
  
"About 60% of my body were reconstructed this way." Larsen whispered.  
  
Asuka drew a heavy breath.  
"Okay, so you are a..." She frowned, looking for the right word.  
  
"I guess you to say ´cyborg´."  
  
"Yes. Thanks. Now I know what I wanted to know."  
With these words she got up and stormed away.  
Just another mutant for the freakshow. At first baka-Shinji and Wondergirl and now the  
six-million-deutschmark-man... Why can´t anyone of them be normal, only one?  
  
  
***  
  
  
"I´m sorry."  
  
Larsen moved back and rebuttoned his sleeve as if he had time of the world.  
"What?"  
  
"For Asuka´s behavior."  
  
"Ah, that´s okay, I´m used to worse. You do not need to excuse for her."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Hey, stop this." His voice still was friendly and caring, not angry. "So, how were the  
tests?"  
  
"Uhm... I wasn´t able to pilot EVA-04..."  
  
"Did you asked him?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"EVA-04 has some kind of mind of it´s own, I´ve already noticed that during the first  
testing runs. Probably they did install some nerve knots too much."  
  
"Ah..." Shinji didn´t understand a word.  
  
"And the others?"  
  
"Asuka shouted at him... and she able to move an arm afterwards..."  
  
Larsen grinned broadly.  
  
"And Ayanami... Rei... was able to control unit four completly."  
  
The grin vanished, for a moment, unnoticed by Shinji, an expression of sadness apeared  
on his face.  
"I nearly expected this."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"..."  
Larsen seufzte.  
"Because of her being the First Children. She has the most experiences with the EVAs,  
rumors tell that she grew up inside of an entryplug."  
  
"I... I know nothing about that."  
  
"Is that the reason for Asuka´s anger? - Rei being better than her?"  
  
"Uhm, yes."  
  
"And is that the reason she is piloting EVA-02 - to prove herself?"  
  
"She wants to be the best."  
  
"The generation that was born after Second Impact is quite strange... sorry, boy, no offense,   
yes?"  
  
"I... I am not offended, Larsen-san."  
  
"Ah, come... We all sit in the same boat - or EVA - you can call me Wolf, Mr. Larsen is  
my father."  
  
"Yes... I´m Shinji."  
  
"A pleasure." He smiled again.  
  
"So, you are a soldier?"  
  
"It´s a family tradion, for the last seven generations Larsens have served their land."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"And what´s the reason for you to pilot? Do you want to show everyone what kind of great  
guy you are?"  
  
"No... I just can do it..."  
  
"Nearly like me."  
  
"Why do you pilot an EVA? - I mean, I was inside of the entryplug of EVA-04 and it was  
terrible narrow."  
  
"The engineers thought that one shouldn´t feel comfortable within, but you are right,  
it´s like a damned submarine - sorry, I wanted to stopped cursing."  
  
"I´ve heard worse from Asuka."  
  
"Oh, the youth of today..."  
  
Shinji saw the grin on Larsen´s face and smiled a bit.  
  
"But this didn´t answer your question - I am piloting EVA-04 so nobody else has to.  
And I do it to protect those close to my heart."  
  
"... so nobody else has to..."  
  
"Exact. I watched the records of our fight with the angel again. I have to tell you, that  
I do admire you a bit."  
  
"Me?" Shinji looked around to made sure that Larsen hadn´t talked to someone else.  
  
"Of course. You are a very good pilot - and that without any additional help, like I have."  
  
"But I missed..."  
  
"I missed, too. The only important thing is that the angel had been stopped - and that  
you managed to do very well."  
  
"Thanks." His eyes brightend.  
  
"Maybe Miss Langley will one day recognize that she was born with the abilities I am  
only able to express with artificial helpings. And that the only competion she has to  
fear is the one she creates within her head... That a group of fourteen-year olds has to  
carry that kind of weight upon it´s shoulders... When I was your age, I would not have   
been able to do something like that - lets forget that I was bandaged up like a mummy  
that time. As just thinking about my daughter sitting inside of such a machine one day  
makes me sick."  
  
"You have a daughter?"  
  
"Yes, is this such a strange thing? Hey, they only replaced exactly 59,2% of my body!"  
  
Shinji blushed.  
"Sorry."  
  
"I´ve already told you - stop telling that you are sorry, my state of being is not your  
fault, neither was the Second Impact."  
If one denies the theory of inheritent sin...  
  
"Yes... Where is your daughter?"  
  
"Germany. I couldn´t have her come with me, it´s way too dangerous here."  
  
"So you do not see her very often."  
  
"No, but she knows that I love her with all my heart. She´s seven years old and the  
light of my life. She´s the reason I pilot EVA-04, so she can grow up without fear."  
  
"But without a face..."  
  
"Yes... hey, don´t look at me that way!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"My daughter always looks the same way when she has something on her heart."  
  
"It´s only..."  
  
"What? - But maybe it´s not my business."  
  
"I feel sorry for your daughter. My father abandoned me, too..."  
  
"Commander Ikari? He is your father, isn´t he?"  
  
"Yes, at least in the name. He had me come to Tokio-3 and NERV to pilot unit one, but  
otherwise he completly ignores me."  
  
"That doesn´t seem to be easy. Your father shoulders much responsibility, he has to  
protect the whole world from the angels, maybe that´s the reason he locked his heart.  
But I am sure that you have a place within."  
  
"You wouldn´t talk that way if you knew him."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Do you have a picture of your daughter?"  
  
"No, only within my heart. My orders to start came a bit by surprise. But I promised her  
to call her next week at Christmas. If everything goes as planned, I will have visual  
by satellite link. Until then I am counting the hours."  
His eyes were shimmering wet.  
"But that´s the way I decided to walk down. And I keep telling myself that it is also  
in her interest..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Somewhere  
  
"Agent Seraph has managed to infiltrate target destination. He has already won the trust  
of the Third Children." a voice came out of invisible speakers.  
  
"Understood. Thanks, go on as planned."  
  
"Roger."  
  
The radio-connection was interrupted. 


	6. Chapter 05 - Waiting for Christmas

Chapter 05 - Waiting for Christmas  
  
  
Misato´s apartment  
  
"Why didn´t you tell me yesterday, Misato?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That this Larsen is a robot."  
  
"Lieutenant Larsen isn´t a robot, Asuka."  
Misato shook her head and took a sip from the beer can in her hand.  
Children...  
She knew the reason she had wanted some, even if had been able to.  
At the beginning they are small and sweet and a day later they start screaming and  
making a mess.  
  
"This old man has more plastic parts as my old teddybear!"  
  
Misato blinked - and lost it.  
  
*wham!*  
  
Asuka´s cheek showed the image of Misato´s hand.  
"You... you hit me... why?"  
Tears were in her eyes.  
  
"Because of this old man, as you call him, being ready to sacrifice the last natural  
parts of him to protect us. Asuka, this isn´t a child´s play, maybe you believe this,  
since nothing ever happened to you... You weren´t hurt like Rei, you don´t suffer like  
Shinji..."  
  
But the redhead had already run crying to her room. She stayed there the whole day,  
behaving obviously normally when she returned...  
  
  
***  
  
  
The next day  
  
"I do not understand it." Ritsuko Akagi supported herself onto the desk.  
"No, I truely do not understand it."  
  
The whole day they had run tests on the new pilot, they had placed him inside each of   
the other EVAs, even inside unit two since Asuka wasn´t there to protest, to test his  
synchrate - without success. For the units zero, one and two Wolf Larsen didn´t seem to  
exist, only EVA-04 accepted him as pilot.  
  
"Take it easy, at least no EVA went berserk and demolished the testcenter." Misato said  
and placed the cup of hot coffee in front of Akagi.  
"Larsen is a PALADIN-pilot..."  
  
"Yes, he has about ten years of experience with giant mechas. But why does he has such  
a great synchrate with EVA-04 and not even 0% with the others?"  
  
"Maybe it is because of his brain implants. EVA-04 has had time to get used to it. Or  
maybe there have been some other errors within the construction or they have given unit  
four some nerveknots to much and Larsen being able to synch with it is just a big joke."  
  
"I don´t think so, EVA-04 has been built in Germany."  
  
"With the exclusion of the entryplug and the hatch."  
  
"Those were made at France. But I would love to pick the complete unit apart and have a  
close look at each and every piece."  
  
"And what if an angel attacks and all four EVA are needed?"  
  
"This thought is the only thing between myself and a screwdriver, Misato."  
  
  
***  
  
  
It had been snowing outside for the last two days. Traffic had nearly completly come to  
a stop.  
  
Asuka had insisted on dragging a strangly twisted tree into the livingroom of the  
apartment and decorating it with silver tinsel. Right now she was dragging Shinji along  
through a roofcovered mall, looking for christmas presents since she needed someone to  
carry the stuff.  
  
Shinji of course didn´t have a shimmer of what that all was about with this strange  
festivity and even if he had he wouldn´t have gotten into the right mood.  
At least Asuka was in a good mood, since yesterday she was trilling some songs he did not  
understand due to his restricted knowledge of the german language. And he wasn´t really  
interested in hearing about reindeers and a fat man saying ´ho-ho´. But, at least, with  
Asuka being in such a good mood she was actually nice to him...  
  
"What do you think, does this suit me?"  
  
He looked up.  
  
Asuka stood in front of a mirror with a red scarf, comparing the colour with the red of her   
hair.  
  
"Uhm, yes." He blushed.  
  
"Good. So, this one... and that one for Misato, the colour´s right, isn´t it?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Okay. And this one should suit Kaji, hm..." She looked at him shortly before getting yet  
another scarf and placing it on the counter next to the others.  
  
"And... uhm, one for Rei?"  
  
She stared at him. "Say, are you mad? Why should I buy anything for Wondergirl? On the  
other hand... It´s christmas..."  
Yes, Asuka, show them what a big heart you have by buying a present for Wondergirl!  
"... but which one?"  
Her eyes lightened up.  
  
"This one?" He pointed at a bright blue scarf  
  
She nodded.  
"And this one, yes." She paid for her stuff and it all put into a bag and handed the bag  
to Shinji.  
"Did you already buy something for Misato and myself?"  
  
gulp  
  
"I guess that´s a ´no´. Okay, you have ten minutes, I am... there."  
She left him alone and turned towards another counter.  
  
And now?  
  
  
***  
  
  
About an hour later the two returned to Misato´s apartment, Shinji carrying two large  
bags. Asuka carefully placed the wrapped gifts below the tree, couldn´t suppress the urge  
to shake the gifts Shinji had bought and already labelled.  
At least mine is bigger than Rei´s.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Within the EVA-hangar it was silent, as if the world had hold it´s breath.  
The lights were turned off and only a few emergency lights showed the intruder the way.  
Quite fast he climbed unit four´s cage up to the EVA´s middle section and opened a   
maintenance hatch, something the other units were missing. The intruder crawled into the  
space behind the hatch, returned a moment later with a bag and closed the hatch again,  
left the hangar the same way he had entered.  
  
Next to the door Kaji stood, nervously looking down the corridor.  
"Ah, finally, that took an eternity!"  
  
"You only thought so. Turn on the cameras again."  
  
Kaji pushed a few buttons on his remote.  
"What did you get?"  
  
Larsen laughted.  
"My lunch box."  
  
Kaji dropped his jaw.  
"That´s the reason you are taking this kind of risk?"  
  
"We had to try if it worked. To be caught with the lunch box wouldn´t have cause that  
much trouble compared to the other stuff."  
  
"Puh... Was it worth it, at least?"  
  
"Well, I guess. Nothing can make me eat instant ramen tomorrow. I´ve here a good old fashioned   
christmas-meal, well, it´s still instant but better than nothing. Would you   
like to join me?"  
  
"No, thanks, I´ve a date with Misato."  
  
"The major, hm... If you should have trouble finding a restaurant, you could bring her  
with you, it´s enough for three. I don´t like eating alone."  
  
Kaji grined broadly.  
"We have plans..."  
  
"I see... Have a nice day."  
  
  
  
next: a christmas tale... 


	7. Interlude - Dreams

Interlude - Dreams  
  
  
  
Interlude I:  
  
He wasn´t dreaming, since one needed a soul to dream...  
  
He had dreamt the last time about four years ago, since this time sleep had only become  
another word for physical regeneration.  
  
A computer inside of his skull kept his Ego and mind in place, constantly uploading his  
memories into his mind.  
  
It had been his own decision, the sacrifice he had made for another human being...  
  
  
  
Interlude II:  
  
Gendo Ikari´s sleep wasn´t peaceful, he moved on his futon, throwing the arms around while   
sleeping.  
  
Cold sweat was on his brow, his pyjama had wet spot under the armpits.  
  
His lips were trembling, formed words nobody could hear.  
  
In opposion to a certain other man he still was able to dream, but most times he didn´t  
remembered his dreams. But this time it was a very realistic dream...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Yui!"  
Gendo screamed the name of the woman standing in front of him, showing him her back.  
He started to run to catch up to her.  
Between her and him only a few steps were, but it seemed to be an infinite distance,  
since he couldn´t reach her.  
"Yui!" he shouted again with desperation.  
Somewhen he wasn´t able to run anymore, stopped panting heavyly.  
"Yui, please..."  
  
Slowly she turned around, her gaze met his.  
  
He stopped panting, all exhaustion seemed to vanish. The look of her eyes had always been  
enough to give him peace.  
  
"Yui..."  
He reached for her with his hand.  
  
"Gendo..."  
  
His eyes were filled with tears when he heard the sound of her voice.  
  
Again he said her name.  
  
She turned towards him, moving across the distance with only one step, took his hand.  
"Come, I have to show you something..."  
  
The surrounding changed from an endless white plain to the beach of a bloodred sea.  
  
"Do you know, where we are?"  
She pointed at the ocean.  
  
He swallowed.  
"Yes... That´s LCL... an angel´s blood..."  
  
"The blood of humanity."  
  
"Is this going to happen if the angels manage to reach Terminal Dogma? Is this the end?"  
  
"This is how the world will be after Third Impact - your Third Impact..."  
  
"Mine?"  
  
"Gendo, look..."  
  
Next to the beach a purple-green gigant stood within the silent ocean, pierced by several  
spears, surrounded by nine snowwhite other giants.  
  
"EVA-01... your prison..."  
  
"Yes, look around, you are going to sacrifice all of humanity to set me free."  
  
"If my plan succeeds, you wil be free!"  
  
She just looked at him with sadness in her eyes before she shook her head.  
  
"What... what do you want to tell me?"  
  
"We will never be together again, Gendo."  
  
"No... NO!"  
  
"Your plan is perfect... but you missed something - to initiate the Impact and the Reunion   
of Soul you´ll need two components, Lilith and an awakened EVANGELION. I know  
that you will have both components ready, but those two components won´t take part at the  
Reunion."  
  
"Then I will be inside EVA-01..."  
  
"No, it won´t work this way, and you know it. Look, there..."  
  
At the beach two lonely figures were standing.  
  
"So there will be survivors."  
Somehow this calmed him.  
  
"Look again."  
  
"They are... pilot Langley and... Shinji..."  
  
"Our son."  
  
"Yes... why... how..."  
  
"Our son you are ready to sacrifice, too."  
  
He looked into her face, saw anger, saw hate.  
"Yui, I..."  
  
"Gendo, you are not the man anymore I loved, the man I married, the man I bore a son..."  
  
"I can be him again..."  
  
"Really?"  
Slowly she raised a hand, caressed his cheek. Something moved from her to him, a flood  
of pictures.  
"Really?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Panting Ikari got up, eyes wide open.  
  
Tears blurred his vision.  
  
He still thought to feel the touch of her hand, still thought to hear her words.  
  
Really?  
  
"Yes..." he whispered. 


	8. Chapter 06 - A Christmas´ Tale

Chapter 06 - A Christmas Tale  
  
  
NERV-HQ, Gendo Ikari´s bureau, early morning  
  
Gendo Ikari smiled when a bluehaired girl took a seat on the other side of his desk.  
He wasn´t unable to do otherwise, her similiarity to Yui just forced him to let his mask  
go and open his heart, even with her visit unannounced and surprising.  
"Rei, why did you come here?"  
  
Her face betrayed neither her emotions nor her thoughts, neither did her red eyes. For  
her whole life she had been trained to ignore her own emotions and always keep calm and  
calculating.  
"Commander Ikari, the Third Children... pilot Ikari... your son, Shinji..." her words  
betrayed the confusion she was feeling. "he invited me to Major Katsuragi´s christmas  
party."  
  
"So..."  
He frowned.  
"Well, you need a reason to decline, I will have doctor Akagi schedule some tests. She´s  
interested in further examining your synch with unit four."  
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"I... I would like to go to the party."  
  
"Really? Why?"  
  
"Because he asked me."  
  
"He? Shinji?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And that´s the reason..."  
  
"Yes. May I go?"  
  
"Why do you want to go just because of him asking you to come?"  
  
"I... care for him... and he cares for me..."  
  
Gendo blinked. For a moment he felt as if a dagger had pierced his heart.  
"Rei, what are your feelings for... my son?"  
  
She looked at him, slightly blushing.  
"I want to... unite with him... body, mind and soul..."  
  
Gendo swallowed hard.  
"Do you know what you are talking about? That´s impossible..."  
  
"I know what I am talking about." she confirmed.  
  
"If things had taken another path you might have been brother and sister."  
  
"Hai. If things had taken another path. But they did not."  
  
Ikari felt his throat becoming dry. This wasn´t a part of his scenario, it had never been  
planned for Rei to express emotions. And he had never planned to be tricked by his own  
argumentation.  
  
"May I go?"  
  
"And what if I don´t allow it?"  
  
For a moment something shone within her eyes, just shortly, but he was able to read it:  
rebellion...  
The solution of this problem would have been easy - erase this Rei and get another, better   
conditioned clone from the tank. But he knew that he was unable to do so.  
He cleared his throat.  
"You may go. I wish you to have fun."  
  
She blinked.  
"Thank you."  
  
"Alas, Rei, I don´t wish you to... unite with... my son... You are not old enough to do  
this."  
  
"Yes, Commander Ikari."  
She got up and left the room.  
  
Gendo covered his face with his hands.  
"Yui, you would have known what to do..." he mumbled.  
Then he reached into the top drawer of his desk to retrieve a small metalbottle...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato´s apartment, evening  
  
Asuka had just distributed the presents she had bought the day before; each of those  
present was busy opening his or her parcel and finding a scarf.  
  
Shinji who had accompained her buying the gifts and who had carried the stuff home  
already knew what was inside of his parcel, but felt urged to make a happyly surprised  
face.  
  
Misato liked her gift.  
  
Kaji place the scarf at once aound his neck.  
"Just what I´ve wished for! Thank you!"  
  
Rei had opened her parcel that careful that the paper could have been reused. Now she  
held a bright blue scarf in her hands.  
"Oh."  
Not a monotonous ´oh´, but a rather happy ´oh´.  
  
Asuka held her breath.  
Just an ´oh´? Argh!  
  
"It´s beautiful. Thanks, Asuka."  
  
She started breathing again, blinked, smiled.  
"No problem."  
Am I wrong or is Wondergirl smiling?  
  
Now it was Shinji´s turn to hand over the gifts he had bought.  
A pity that Wolf was unable to come, too, but he wanted to talk with his daughter.  
  
Kaji found some gardening equipment in his parcel.  
"Ha, Shinji! That´s great!"  
  
What a stupid gift. Asuka thought.  
  
Misato got some unbreakable drinking-glasses - the last time she had come home drunk  
she had throw all glasses to the floor unintentionally.  
"Thanks."  
  
Asuka got two new red hairclips with sliver stripes.  
How did he know that I needed new ones?  
  
Rei was still busy opening her parcel with all care when suddenly the bell rung.  
  
"Shinji, you are the only one not sitting!" ordered Asuka with friendly but still  
commanding voice. "Get the door!"  
  
"Yes, yes."  
He smiled as if he had bitten into a citrus and dragged his feet to the door.  
Who could this be? Maybe Wolf? Or Touji and Hikari? Or Kensuke? Or did Misato invite  
somebody else and forgot telling us?  
He opened the door and went completly stiff.  
"Father..."  
  
On the other side of the door Gendo Ikari stood, wearing long grey coat and a once deep  
red woolen scarf and looked at his son though his dark tinted glasses and with   
expressionless face.  
Slowly he raised the right hand and and gave Shinji a small parcel.  
"Here. Merry christmas."  
  
Shinji swallowed, looked down at the parcel and back again to his father who already  
had turned around and walked towards the elevator.  
"Father, would you like to..."  
  
The older Ikari did not react, walked around the corner.  
  
"... come in..."  
Shinji blinked, looked again at the parcel, the only proof that he did not dreamt the  
whole thing. He closed the door and returned to the livingroom.  
  
"Shinji, who was it?" Misato asked.  
  
"My... father..."  
He suddenly felt the others´ eyes upon himself.  
  
"The commander?" Kaji asked with raised brows.  
  
Only Rei stayed calm, but... weren´t the corners of her mouth twitching slightly...?  
  
"Yes."  
Shinji sat down on the ground, still holding the parcel in his hands.  
  
"Did he give this to you?"  
  
"Yes, Misato. And he... he wished me a merry christmas..."  
  
"Seems that even he can´t ignore this time of the year completly..." Kaji mumbled.  
  
"What did he give you?" Asuka was courious.  
  
"I don´t know."  
  
"Of course you do not know, baka, you didn´t open it!"  
  
"Second Children, please stop calling Shinji an idiot."  
The calm voice caused an effect similiar to a loud scream. Suddenly all eyes turned  
towards Rei who had opened her parcel meanwhile and was holding a small brown teddybear.  
  
Asuka´s jaw dropped.  
  
Misato´s jaw dropped.  
  
PenPen´s jaw dropped.  
  
Even Kaji was searching for words. The combination of voice, words and the fact that  
she held the bear like an ordinary girl would was nearly too much for him.  
  
Asuka blinked, clenched her fists. Her eyes met Rei´s, her gaze tried to pierce her´s.  
"Good." she finally gave up. "Except he earned it..."  
  
Shinji looked from one girl to the other one.  
"Rei..."  
  
She nodded at him, now again being the calm, expressionless Rei.  
"Thank you for the gift."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Asuka swallowed her anger, remembered her intentions she did this morning.  
"Well, now open your present!"  
  
"Yes. Gomen."  
At first he tried to open it as careful as Rei had opened his gift to her, but he was  
way to courious and excited.  
Inside of the parcel were an expensive looking fountain pen, a new SDATplayer, an empty  
picture frame and an envelop. Within the envelop was an old photo from the year 2002,  
showing his father, his mother and himself on his mother´s arms.  
He gasped for air, put the picture back into the envelop.  
  
"What is it?" Asuka asked, she hadn´t been fast enough to catch a glimpse at the photo.  
  
"Nothing..."  
He jumped to his feet, envelop pressed to his chest and ran to his own room.  
  
Asuka looked after him.  
"Well, I truely wonder..."  
  
Kaji exchanged a look with Misato, got up, too.  
"Get ready, I´ll look after him."  
  
"Good."  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Shinji, may I come in?"  
Kaji didn´t wait for an answer but opened the door.  
  
The boy sat on his bed, holding the picture in his hands, tear in his eyes. When he  
noticed the visitor, he let the photo vashish under the pillow.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Shinji nodded.  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. If you need somebody to talk..."  
  
"Kaji, why is he acting this way suddenly? For the last ten years he did ignore me and  
now... now..."  
  
"Maybe there´s still a beating human heart within your father´s chest - he still is your  
father."  
  
"Wolf... Lieutenant Larsen told me something similiar... a few weeks agos..."  
  
"Ah." Kaji rubbed his chin. "And I thought to be knowing people. Shinji, do yourself a  
favor and do not expect to much of your father. That he comes along and brings you a  
gift, does not have to mean..."  
  
"I know. But I can wish it would, can´t I?"  
  
Kaji nodded with understanding smile.  
"Of course. Will you be okay?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"If you need somebody to talk, you can always come to me. And I am sure that Katsuragi  
would also listen to you. You needn´t be alone if you don´t want to."  
  
"Yes." Shinji smiled. "Thanks, Kaji."  
  
"No problem. The major and I want to hit the road, so if you have anything on your  
heart..."  
  
"No."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kaji was just leaving Shinji´s room when he nearly ran into an obviously angry Asuka.  
"Eh, Asuka, what´s up?"  
  
"Wondergirl is staying over night, sleeping on the couch. Misato thinks that it is too  
dangerous to walk home alone in the dark."  
  
"Hm, she´s right, it´s really dark outside."  
  
"But what might happen to her?"  
  
"Ah, Asuka, come on, you don´t mean it this way."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Or are you afraid to sleep with Rei under the same roof?" He winked. "That she might  
try to get Shinji?"  
  
"Ha! She could have him!" she answered and stormed into her room.  
  
"Hm", Kaji mumble to himself. "Why don´t I think that this was meant honestly?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
It was long past midnight when Rei got up from the couch in Misato´s livingroom.  
She wore a long t-shirt and shorts given to her by Misato. Her protests that she needed  
no clothes had been interupted by Misato telling her to put on the clothes or having her  
drive her home. Rei who had heard about Misato´s driving style valued her life enough  
to put on the clothes.  
  
Barefoot she stalked through the apartment to the door to Shinji´s room.  
  
Her fingertips touched the doorsign.  
  
*Shin-chan´s lovely room*  
  
Shin-chan... an expression of sympathy... friendship... love...  
  
She opened the door silently, entered, closed the door.  
  
Shinji was laying on his bed, knees drawn up to his chest, head dug into the pilow.  
The blanket didn´t cover him anymore.  
  
Rei stopped by the door, looked at the sleeper. Her face softened.  
Why... why am I here? Why do I feel... happyness... when I see him?  
  
Hesitatingly she stepped forward to the bed, reached out with his hand to caress his  
cheek... stopped, didn´t toch him, grabbing the blanket instead and covering him with it.  
Good night, Shin-chan...  
  
As silently as she had come she left the room again.  
  
  
  
next: it´s big, it´s strong, it eats EVAs for breakfast - it´s Zeruel, the Angel of Might 


	9. Chapter 07 - Zeruel

Chapter 07 - Zeruel  
  
  
Kaji met a man wearing thick dark clothes.  
"It´s dangerous to meet here."  
  
"I´ve got new orders for you from SEELE considering the sub-commander."  
  
Kaji felt cold. Maybe he had been playing a gamble to many.  
  
Sirens howled.  
  
Kaji looked around.  
"Angelalarm. You should..."  
  
The other one was already gone.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-command  
  
"To all hands: Red alarm! Angelattack! Prepare for Ground-Air-countermeasures!"  
  
The second commander Kozo Fuyutsuki stepped up to Gendo Ikari´s side.  
"Target´s status?"  
  
"Still aproaching! It just broke through the Komagatake line of defense!" - "Armor  
layers one to eightteen broken!" - "The angel has just smashed through eightteen layers  
of armor with only one beat!"  
  
Tactical officer Major Misato Katsuragi stared at her screens.  
"We won´t make it in time to bring the EVAs into position within the city! Unit two  
will await the target within the geofront. Asuka shall open fire as soon as the angel  
enters the geofront! Status of units zero, one and four?"  
  
Maya answered.  
"The Third Children hasn´t arrived yet. Unit four is waiting with unit zero. Unit zero´s  
ready to neutralize the angel´s AT-field!"  
  
"Last combat´s damage hasn´t fully regenerated yet." Ritsuko Akagi said.  
  
"So unit zero is useless in close combat."  
  
Gendo got up.  
"If Shinji hasn´t arrived in two minutes Rei will pilot unit one."  
  
Misato looked at him questioningly, surprised by calling his son by name.  
  
"Prepare a backup dummyplug."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"Rei´s entryplug is connected to unit one. LCL injected." Maya reported.  
  
"Begin A10 nerve connection."  
  
The screens showed Rei folding up as if she had been hit at her midsection.  
  
"Pulses reversed. Unit One is refusing the neural connection."  
  
"I can't believe it..." Ritsuko mumbled.  
  
Fuyutsuki looked at Gendo from aside.  
"Ikari..."  
  
"Yes, it's refusing me..." the commander whispered. He stiffed. "Interrupt the start-up.  
Let Rei make a sortie in Unit Zero. Restart Unit One with the dummy plug."  
  
"But Unit Zero is..." Misato protested.  
  
"I don't mind. I'll go." Rei´s low voice came from the speakers.  
  
"Rei!?"  
  
"Even if I die, there will be a replacement."  
  
The EVAs were started again, this time Rei had no problems. The start-up sequence of  
unit one was still running.  
  
"Defensive measures are of no use! One more hit and the angel will completly break  
through the armor!"  
  
Misato opened a radio-link to unit two.  
"I am counting on you, Asuka!"  
Shinji, where are you? Rei can´t fight with her damaged unit and Larsen is way to slow   
for close quarter combat with this giant!  
  
  
***  
  
  
Shinji was swimming against the stream, he had run into the evacuating measures and  
had been dragged along.  
  
The earth was shaken by the angels hits.  
  
Finally Shinji broke free and tried to regain orientation.  
  
Next to the shelter he had been dragged to a lonely figure stood within a small garden.  
  
Kaji?  
  
The next second the angel broke through the ceiling.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka smiled grimly when she saw the angel through the targetting visor.  
"Ah, there you are. I´ll finish you without the others´ help!"  
She fired.  
Damned... no effect... Scheiße... reload...  
(trans.: Scheiße = shit)  
"Misato, the AT-field should have been neutralized, why is the angel still standing?"  
she shouted.  
I can´t loose again!  
Again she fired.  
  
The angel turned towards her, suddenly stood in towering in front of her.  
  
Ah! No!  
  
The next moment she felt terrible pain when the angel ripped off unit two´s arms.  
  
Argh... Verdammter Mistkerl...  
(trans.: verdammter mistkerl = damned bastard)  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato shouted Asuka´s name, got no answer.  
"Fast! Cut all nerve-connections!"  
  
"Unit Two wrecked. Not able to fight."  
  
"And Asuka?"  
  
"Entryplug evacuated. She´s alive!"  
  
Asuka´s loudly cursings confirmed this.  
  
"The angel´s moving again!"  
  
Misato tried to stay calm.  
"Status of unit one?"  
  
"Dummy plug loading complete. Probe insertion complete."  
  
Ritsuko gave the sign to start the contact. The reading were unstable.  
"What is it?"  
  
"Pulses are disappearing. It refuses the dummy. It's failed. Unit one isn't starting."  
  
"The dummy, Rei..."  
  
High above Kozo Fuyutsuki repeated Maya Ibuki´s words: "... is refused."  
  
Ikari turned towards the exit.  
"Fuyutsuki, I'll leave this to you for a while."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kaji´s garden  
  
Terrified Shinji had to view EVA-02 being ripped apart by the angel. From aside unit  
four came running but was thrown back with a casual hit from the angel.  
Asuka... Wolf...  
"Kaji, what are you doing here?"  
  
"Well, that´s a question I should be asking you. Why weren´t you with EVA-01 and the others?"  
  
"I had... problem coming here..."  
  
"So, run! Maybe you can still do something!"  
  
"But what about you..."  
  
"I´d rather be with Katsuragi, but that´s a nice place to die, too."  
  
"Die?"  
  
"If the angel reaches Adam who restes below central dogma humanity will be erased with  
the Third Impact. Only the EVANGELIONs are able to stop the angel."  
  
"There! Ayanami! Without a rifle!"  
  
EVA-00 stormed towards the angels, a container in it´s hand, N-2 was written on the  
container.  
  
A N-2-mine... that´s suicide... Rei, no! Don´t...  
  
EVA-00´s AT-field clashed with the angel´s. The hand with the container pierced the field inch   
for inch.  
  
Then the mine exploded.  
  
EVA-00 flew backwards, the remaining arm disintegrated.  
  
The angel wasn´t hart, it attacked unit zero.  
  
Shinji started running.  
  
Unit four returned to the battlefield, a positron rifle in each hand, firing.  
  
The angel staggered, when the positronbullets hit it´s field, jumped over unit zero  
towards unit four.  
  
The fire stopped...  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Does she want to blow herself up?" doctor Akagi whispered when EVA-00 appeared on the  
main screen with the N2-mine.  
  
"Rei!" Gendo screamed  
  
"AT field, full power!" Rei said calmly.  
  
The AT-fields came into contact, the N2-mine was pushed inside the angel´s field and  
exploded.  
  
"Rei!" Misato shouted.  
  
"What has she done....?" Ritsuko stared with eyes wide open at the screen.  
  
EVA-04 appeared, fell under the vicious attacks of the white figure with the black lines  
and the paperthin white arms.  
  
Then the angel turned towards headquarters.  
  
"Pilot Larsen´s been evacuated, he´s alive." - "Direct hit to the third foundation."  
- "Final armor plate fused."  
  
"It's no good. The main shaft is exposed..." Misato heared herself speaking.  
  
"Isn't Unit One ready yet?" Ritsuko asked.  
  
"Dummy plug refused again. It failed. No response."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Gendo Ikari had meanwhile arrived at the hangar, his gaze on unit one as if he could  
force the giant to move.  
"Carry on. Once more, try it again from one-zero-eight."  
  
Shinji entered the hangar.  
"Father, I´m here!"  
  
Gendo turned to him.  
"You are late."  
  
"Let me pilot EVA-01! We have no time to talk! Rei..."  
  
"Yes. Do it!"  
  
Shinji climed the ladder up to the catwalk where the entryplug had been already positioned.  
  
"Good luck... son..." Gendo whispered. "If Rei´s dead, I´ll have nobody except of you..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Command:  
  
"Target has reached main shaft. Descending towards central dogma!"  
  
"It´s coming", Misato whispered. Then she shouted: "To all hands: Evacuate! Hurry up!"  
  
Makoto Hyuga repeated the order.  
  
The angel reached central dogma, went smashing through the hangar area towards the   
commandcenter...  
  
... when a purple-green giant stepped into it´s path.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Hangar:  
  
EVA-01 attacked the angel, throwing it through the whole hangar.  
  
Both contrahents didn´t pause, kept hitting each other with all their might. Blue and  
red blood went in all directions.  
  
Gendo stood on the the catwalk, watching with expressionless face, not even moving when  
he was hit by a wave of red blood.  
He was unable to leave, unable to turn his gaze from the EVANGELION unit and his son  
who fought to save them all... unable to abandon him again.  
And deep inside of himself he was praying for the first time for years...  
  
"Number 5!" Shinji screamed.  
  
Elevator no.5 was activated, carrying EVA and angel to the surface, out of the geofront,  
to a small forest.  
  
The giants were still fighting, EVA-01 got the advantage and a rhythm.  
Left-right-left-right-lift... stop...  
  
Internal energy had just run out...  
  
The EVA´s eyes darkened...  
  
Shinji pushed and pulled the controlls but did not get a reaction.  
"Move! Move!"  
  
The angel noticed the situation, saw it´s advantage, smashed EVA-01 against a hill, cut  
off the right arm.  
  
"Move!"  
  
EVA-01 shivvered feintly.  
  
The angel kept beating upon unit one, cutting throught the chest armor like a hot knife  
through butter.  
  
"Move! Move! Please! Move!"  
  
Below the armor was a redpulsating something, not unlike a really large heart.  
  
"Move!"  
  
Suddenly the EVAs eyes are glowing. It screamed full of pain and anger, intercepted the  
angel´s whip-like arm, ripping it out of the socket, kicking the angel away. Again a  
scream, this time full of triumph...  
  
EVA-01 pressed the angel´s arm against it´s own stump, assimilated the tissue, forming  
a new arm, attacked the angel again, ripping it apart...  
  
And started to feast...  
  
EVA-01 had awakened...  
  
  
***  
  
  
From a viewing point Ritsuko Akagi, her assistent Maya and Misato were watching.  
  
"Unbelieveable... synchrate is above the 400% percent mark", Maya shouted. She looked  
up from the screen of her laptop, saw what EVA-01 was doing to the angel, started vomitting.  
  
"So she had awakened..." Ritsuko whispered.  
  
"EVA-01 is eating the angel..." Misato mumbled and wished for a beer, at least in company   
with five others.  
  
"She is absorbing the angel´s S2-organ..."  
  
EVA-01 roared a shout of victory.  
  
Parts of it´s armor started to move when muscles formed and grew.  
  
Maya Ibuki was still choking even with an empty stomach.  
  
"The bindings..." Ritsuko mumbled.  
  
"Bindings?" Misato echoed.  
  
"Yes, that´s no armor, but binding to help us controll the EVA´s might. But now she´s  
breaking free, we can´t stop EVA anymore."  
  
"She?"  
  
Akagi didn´t answer.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kaji was watching from another point.  
"Unit one awakened and broke free... SEELE will not fail to notice... Is this still a  
part your scenario, Commander Ikari?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-command  
  
"It has started, hasn´t it?" Fuyutsuki asked the returning Gendo.  
  
Ikari throw his blood-soaked jackett to the ground amidst other debris. The command  
center wasn´t usable anymore.  
"Yes, now it all begins..." he answered.  
Really...? Yui´s voice echoed within his head...  
  
  
  
next: trapped soul 


	10. Chapter 08 - 21 days

Chapter 08 - 21 days  
  
  
The first day, EVA-hangar:   
  
Maya and Ritsuko are marching through the hangar, inspecting one of the EVA units after  
the other.  
  
"Units zero, two and four beyond Henflick limitation." Mayas eyes seemed chained to her  
laptop.  
  
"It may take a long time for everything to return to its former state."  
  
"Fortunately, MAGI system can be transplanted. We can begin to work tomorrow, say."  
  
"Well. For the present, we can only use the reserve Control Center-02 with main control  
center that damaged."  
  
"Without the MAGI?"  
  
"Yes. We'll be at work this morning after brushing dust off."  
  
Misato stood on the catwalk in front of unit one, whose limbs had been chained to the cage.  
"It has been binded in the cage. Is it all right?"  
  
"Neither heat, eletrons, electromagnetic wave nor other chemical energy are detected within   
it. The S2 organ is completely suspended."  
  
"Nevertheless, unit one moved three times."  
  
Maya looked up.  
"But it´s still hopeless, it ignored the signal to evakuate the plug."  
  
"What about the backup and the dummy-system?"  
  
"They are also ignored, even the direct links are broken."  
  
They climbed the stairs to the testcenter´s control room.  
  
Makoto Hyuga was already there, directing the scientists.  
"We´ve managed to get a the video-link working, look at the main screen."  
  
The entryplug was empty with the exception of the LCL-fluid. Shinji Ikari was nowhere to  
be found within.  
  
"What..." Misato whispered.  
  
"That´s what happens at a synchrate of 400%", Akagi said bitterly.  
  
"I can´t believe it... What happened to Shinji-kun?"  
  
"EVA-01 did absorb him."  
  
"What are you trying to tell me, Ritsuko? What is EVA?"  
  
"A being similiar to human, made by human´s hand."  
  
"Made by human...? It had been told that EVA was made in the image of the angel found  
at the antarctis..."  
  
"That´s not just a copy, a human will controls EVA."  
  
"Does that mean, Shinji´s state of being had been planned?"  
  
"Maybe by EVA itself."  
  
"Damned, Ritsuko, do something! You created this... thing, didn´t you?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
The second day, NERV infirmary:  
  
Rei stared at her bandaged hands.  
"I am still alive..." she whispered.  
  
"Yes." her visitor answered. Wolf Larsen had an arm in a sling, his face has bruised and  
one of his eyes swollen shut.  
"We all are still alive. Asuka´s in the next room."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I´ve heard her cursing."  
  
Larsen smiled.  
"Yes, she´s quite a repertoire. But she looks better than both of us."  
  
"What did happen?"  
  
"Shinji did happen. He stopped the angel and saved our lifes."  
  
"Yes."  
Shinji... so he did come...  
"How... how is he?"  
  
"Well, he seems to be imprisoned inside of EVA-01, the entryplug can´t be removed."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But Akagi will put things right."  
  
"Yes."  
But she couldn´t suppress her bad feeling of foreshadowing.  
Shinji...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV, Gendo Ikari´s bureau:  
  
Ikari sat in front of a lot of calculations, records and translations of ancient writings.  
  
Like a man possessed he wrote notes, turned over dusty books, crumpled his notes  
desparately and threw them across the room just to start anew.  
  
The pictures Yui showed him inside of the dream were still resurfacing before his mind´s  
eyes.  
  
"Could I have been that wrong...?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
The third day, EVA-testing center:  
  
"Shinji-salvaging-project?" Misato repeated what Akagi had just told her.  
  
"Yes. That what is to be called Shinji's life still exists. Losing it is out of the question   
now."  
  
"I don't know. What NERV wants isn't his life but unit one as their tool.   
  
"I can only repeat commander Ikari´s words."  
  
"Really?"  
Misato looked through the large window into the hangar, saw Gendo Ikari standing in front  
of unit one, hands behind his back.  
Could it truely be that he is... concerned?  
  
"Shinji's body is supposed to be drifting in the entry plug in the quantum form because it   
lost its ego-border."  
  
"You mean that Shinji has transformed into something which we can't identify visibly?"  
  
"Yes. The LCL ingredients in the plug at the moment very like the seawater of the primitive   
earth."  
  
"Life soup..."  
  
"All of the materials which formed Shinji-kun are kept in the plug. What should be called his   
soul exits there. Salvaging means making his body reconstructed and his soul fixed in it."  
  
"Is it possible, Ritsuko?"  
  
"With the MAGIs´ supports."  
  
"You're saying about the theory, aren't you? Nobody knows the results without doing..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
The thirdteenth day, EVA-testing center:  
  
"At present, the temperature is kept at 36. Electromagnetic radiation pulse is normal. Wave   
pattern is B. Every instrumentation unit is working normally."  
  
Maya stood next to Ritsuko who was reading the records for the fifth time.  
"Making the outline of salvaging project in just one month. Only Senpai could do it."  
  
  
***  
  
  
The fifteenth day, Gendo Ikari´s quarters:  
  
Exhaustion finally had caught up with him and Gendo was fallen asleep, for the first time  
in the last two weeks he slept for more than three, four hours.  
  
The dream again, he stood at the shore of the LCL-ocean. Yui was with him.  
  
"Our son, Shinji... he is still inside of unit one..."  
  
"He was with me..." Yui whispered.  
  
"Was?"  
  
"Was, is, will be... it´s all the same here at this place."  
  
"Ritsuko is doing everything to save him."  
  
"And you? Do you want him to be saved?"  
  
"Yes. Yui, please, come back to me, too."  
  
"I can´t. I was... am able to protect Shinji, but I have been inside of the EVA for too  
long now. It wouldn´t give my soul free. And you know, that unit one will... would...  
even survive Third Impact..."  
She pointed at the unmoving purple-green giant in the distance  
  
"Yui, what shall I do?"  
  
"You do already know the answer..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
The twentieth day, EVA-hangar:  
  
Rei stood in front of EVANGELION-01 that been submerged in LCL up to the chest, it´s  
entryplug connected to the instruments within the testing area via several cables.  
"Come back to us... to me... please..." she whispered.  
  
Then her gaze met Gendo´s who stood on the catwalk next to the plug area.  
  
  
***  
  
  
The twentyfirst day, EVA-testing center:   
  
"All search needles were driven in. Electromagnetic wave pattern is fixed at 0, -3."  
  
"Ego-border pulse was connected." Maya reported.  
  
"Roger. Begin to salvage him."  
  
"Roger. Signal-1 is sent and received the signal. Now, signal-2 and signal-3 are sent.   
No resistance!"  
  
"Begin stage 2!"  
  
Aside from the working scientist Misato Katsuragi stood alone and preyed for Ritsuko´s  
plan to succeed. She wasn´t the only one preying.  
  
Within the hangar Gendo Ikari stood on one of the catwalks with reddened eyes and silently   
watched.  
  
"His ego border is fixed in a loop", Maya suddenly reported.  
  
"Try to irradiate to all wave patterns from all directions." Ritsuko ordered.  
  
"No. The irradiated signals are captured in Clein space."  
  
Misato hurried to Akagi´s side.  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, a failure."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop the interference. Reverse the tangent graph. Set the addition value to 0."  
She made some inputs.  
  
"As for the core pulse, some changes are detected. Plus 3 is confirmed."  
  
"The water temperature is getting higher. 36, 38, 41, 58,76, 97, 106..."  
  
"Maintaining the present condition is the top priority issue!" Ritsuko ordered.  
  
"It's going into the dangerous area. Plus 0,5, 0,8. It's strange. I can't stop it."  
  
"What does it mean?" Akagi looked through the window. "Don't you want to come back, Shinji?"  
  
"EVA resists all signals! His ego formation in LCL is breaking up. The pressure is increasing   
within the plug!"   
  
"Stop all operations. Cut the power supply!"  
  
"No. The plug is exited."  
  
Misato ran to the window, staring at the hissing entryplug looking out of EVA-01´s neck.  
She didn´t see the man in the shadows whose scarred hands were cramping around the railing.  
The video link showed a still empty plug.  
"What´s the value of a science, that can´t even save one life?!"  
The plug started to move.  
"The plug is evacuated!"  
Misato ran down the stair, ran into the hangar, climbed the ladder leading to the catwalk.  
  
The entryplug lost it´s balance, hit the catwalk, opened.  
  
Hot LCL poured onto the floor.  
  
Misato slowed down, nearly stumbled into the growing puddle.  
"No..."  
She went down on her knees, touched the LCL with her hands.  
"No! Shinji-kun...!"  
  
The fluid started to move, to drag itself together, she didn´t notice. Tears rolled down  
her cheeks.  
  
She turned the head around, stared at unit one.  
"Give me back my Shinji-kun!"  
  
Now she noticed that her hands were touching the blank metal floor of the catwalk.  
  
Next to the entryplug a naked boy laid, Shinji Ikari.  
  
Misato croutched to him, embraced him, let her tears roll down.  
  
Two medics appeared, one bowed to lift Shinji up, was stopped by the hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I´ll take him."  
  
"Yes, commander."  
  
Gendo went into the knees.  
"Major Katsuragi, Shinji has to be brought to the infirmary." he whispered with unsuspected   
softness.  
  
Misato let the boy go, allowed Ikari to lift up his son and place him carefully on the  
medics´ stretcher.  
  
The medics carried Shinji away.  
  
"He has come back, Major." Ikari turned to Misato again, looked over to Ritsuko who just  
had entered the hangar.  
"Doctor Akagi, look after the major."  
He did not wait for an answer but followed the medics.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-infirmary:  
  
Gendo stood by his still sleeping son´s bed.  
  
In his back the door was opened and closed.  
  
"Commander?"  
  
He turned around at the sound of the voice.  
"Rei..."  
  
"He´s come back..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You look tired. May I stay here?"  
  
Gendo hesitated first, then he nodded  
"Yes, it will be a good thing for him to see a familiar face when he wakes up... someboy  
he likes..."  
He left the room. 


	11. Chapter 09 - Kaji

Chapter 09 - Kaji  
  
  
NERV, two days later:  
  
Misato sat in her darkened bureau, head supported by her arms.  
Shinji´s still asleep... Rei stands virgil... Asuka makes it impossible for me to stay  
at home... Kaji doesn´t call... EVA-04 is too heavily damaged... now an angel and it´s  
over...  
She felt like crying.  
  
Somebody knocked at the door.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Two man in black suits and with dark tinted glasses entered.  
  
Secret Servive...  
  
The first man showed his ID-card.  
"NERV security."  
  
"How can I help you?"  
  
"The vice-commander, Fuyutsuki, can´t be found. We believe that he´s been kidnapped."  
  
"Oh."  
Sometimes everything happens at once...  
  
"We lost him at sector four."  
  
"Here at headquarters? Just great."  
  
"We believe a spy to be responsible."  
  
"Say, are you still able to do your job?"  
  
"We are investigating. Because of your relationship to the main suspect..."  
  
Suddenly she felt very cold.  
That´s the reason...  
"I guess, we are talking about Ryoji Kaji."  
Damned, why haven´t you been more careful?  
Slowly she reached into her pocket to retrieve her ID-card and issued gun, placed both  
items on the table.  
"I will cooperate."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
The interogation took four hours. After this time she got back her ID-card and the gun.  
  
"We´ve found the suspect. Take care of him, Major."  
  
Her throat was dry, but she nodded.  
"I will."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-infirmary:  
  
Shinji woke up, opened his eyes.  
Where?... not within EVA anymore... a familiar ceiling... I don´t like this ceiling...  
His was nearly unable to sense his right arm, the reason was the weight resting upon it.  
His raised his head, the simple movement did cost him a lot of power. He felt weak.  
  
Rei sat on a chair next to his bed, but she had fallen asleep and her head rested on her  
crossed arms which in turn were resting on his arm. Her face was turned towards his.  
  
How peaceful... and how beautiful... She resembles mother... could it be that... Rei  
Ayanami...  
He remembered watching her cleaning the classroom, remembered his impressions.  
Like a mother...  
Then he remembered her untidy and unclear apartment.  
No... Rei Ayanami... Rei...  
Carefully he tried to free his arm.  
  
The suddenly movement, as careful as it was, woke her up. She opened her eyes, looked  
at him.  
"You are awakened."  
  
"Yes."  
  
She stretched.  
"I must have fallen asleep..."  
  
"For how long have you been here?"  
  
"Since you´ve returned. Nobody should disturb you."  
  
"You watched over me..."  
  
"Yes. I care for you, like you care for me."  
  
"Rei..."  
  
"..."  
  
"I was inside of EVA-01... not just inside of the entryplug... in EVA-01 itself..."  
  
"Unit one did absorb you."  
  
"I have seen things... remembered... mother´s accident..."  
  
Rei sat silent beside of the bed and listened.  
  
"I´ve seen mother... Rei, I think my mother is inside of EVA-01..."  
He looked at her, begging for help.  
  
Spontanously she took his hand.  
"Talk to the Commander about it."  
She felt his body stiffen as soon as his father entered the diskussion.  
  
"He wouldn´t want to talk to me... he has never wanted to..."  
  
"He has been here. He was at the hangar while you were inside of EVA-01, each day."  
  
"Really."  
  
"Yes."  
  
He wouldn´t have believed anybody else, but Rei... Rei did not lie...  
Shinji swallowed.  
  
"He cares for you. Like I do."  
  
"Rei..."  
  
The corners of her mouth twitched, forming a silent smile.  
"You need rest. Sleep."  
  
He returned the smile.  
"Yes."  
  
She got up, let his hand go. Suddenly she bent forward and planted a kiss on his cheek,  
just a short and soft one, but the touch of her lips seemed to burn his skin.  
"I am glad that you returned..."  
Rei went to the door without turning again, opened it, left. She nearly ran into Asuka  
who was stand on the other side. The redhead looked at her angryly and turned around to  
leave.  
  
Shinji touched his cheek with the fingertips, lost in thought.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Kaji´s garden:  
  
"You are late." Kaji smiled. "I´ve already feared that you hadn´t listened to the answering   
machine."  
  
Misato´s answer was to get up her gun and point it at Kaji. Her eyes were wet with tears.  
  
Ryoji Kaji found no words...  
  
Her fingers cramped around the gun, started to shake, were unable to hold the gun straight.   
Finally she lowered the revolver.  
"I can´t... I can´t do it. Kaji, I love you, I cannot kill you..."  
  
He walked up to her and took her in his arms.  
"Shhh. It´s okay."  
  
Someone else stepped out of the darkness, pointing a gun at the two.  
"It´s a shame, Major." the man in black explained. "We´ve counted on your loyality to  
NERV."  
  
Kajis eyes widened, he pushed Misato behind himself, moved himself into the line of fire.  
"You only want to kill me."  
  
The man in black moved the trigger-finger, stiffened suddenly when he felt the muzzle of  
a gun digging into his own back, lowered the gun slowly, taking the finger away from the  
trigger.  
  
"Leave."  
  
The man in black slowly turned around, having recognized the voice.  
"Commander...?"  
  
"I am taking over. You cmay leave... now."  
  
"Yes, commander."  
  
Ikari watched the agent until he was out of sight, then he turned towards Kaji.  
"Ryoji Kaji, I need your help..." 


	12. Chapter 10 - To be or not to be

Chapter 10 - To be or not to be  
  
  
Larsen´s apartment, early morning  
  
The sound of the bell woke Larsen from his dreamless slumber.  
Mechanically he swung the legs of the edge of his bed and got up, put on his trouser  
before answering the door.  
"Kaji, it´s a bit early, isn´t it...?" he greeted the man at the door. Then he noticed  
the second man who stood behind Kaji, head slightly lowered.  
"Commander Ikari..."  
  
"May we come in?" Kaji asked. He looked tired.  
  
"Of course."  
Larsen stepped aside.  
  
Ikari´s gaze rested on Larsen´s cybernetic arm.  
  
"You look like you could need a strong cup of coffee - both."  
  
"It´s been a long night."  
  
"I will do some. Why are you here?"  
  
Gendo answered:  
"Help me to prevent Third Impact."  
  
Larsen´s eyes tripled their size.  
  
"We have had a very, very long talk." Kaji explained. "Commander Ikari deflected."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Later...  
  
The coffee steamed within large cups.  
  
"Well, Commander, what´s up?"  
  
"Larsen, I´ve done lots of thing, things I was not always proud of but that seemed  
necessary. But now I´ve been confronted with the fact that I´ve started with the wrong  
prequisites..."  
  
"Talk, please."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Even later...  
  
The coffee-pot was empty.  
  
Larsen drew a deep breath.  
"So you want to tell me the Human Complementation Project aims at initiating a controlled  
Third Impact to have all of humanity giving up physical existance and unite within one  
being..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"And the necessary components are EVA and the angel in the central dogma basement. Whoever   
controlls those components, controlls the Impact and the being to be created.  
You wanted to play god."  
  
Ikari was silent.  
  
"The men behind the project, SEELE, are a group of old men who want to gain immortality  
and absolute power this way. And you´ve promised them these things, so they helped you  
creating NERV and the EVANGELIONs."  
  
"That´s right."  
  
"Well, now I only want to know the reason you did it... And the reason you are now  
thinking otherwise."  
  
"My wife... Yui... she inside of EVA-01..."  
Ikari spoke slowly, not secure of himself.  
"It was an accident... Unit one did absorb her, like it absorbed Shinji."  
  
"But the boy could be freed."  
  
"Yes. But she... it´s to late for her. She had become EVA-01 and EVA-01 has become her.  
I wanted to set her free... please believe me."  
  
"And wanted to sacrifice humanity..." Kaji whispered terrified.  
  
"I´d have sacrificed even more... I was ready to sacrifice my own son..."  
  
"And now?" the cyborg asked lowly. "What do you want now?"  
  
Ikari looked into his eyes.  
"SEELE must be stopped!"  
  
"Since your scenario won´t succeed, the old men´s plan has to fail, too, right?" Kaji  
asked but fell silent when Larsen raised a hand.  
  
"Ikari, what do you want?"  
  
"Redemption..."  
  
For quite a long time it was silent with nobody saying a word.  
  
Then Larsen got up and offered Ikari his hand.  
"I am Lieutenant-Commander Wolf Larsen of ODIN´s Raven, western branch of UN-secret service.   
I am willing to cooperate, Commander Ikari."  
  
"So you are a spy, too."  
  
"Yes, sent to stop you."  
  
Gendo nodded, took the hand, made the pact.  
  
  
***  
  
  
That afternoon the command staff of NERV was called together by Gendo Ikari for a meeting   
within one the conference chambers.  
  
At the oval table´s head Gendo sat, Fuyutsuki stood behind him. Next to Ikari, on the right   
Ritsuko Akagi and her protegé Maya Ibuki sat, on the left Misato Katsuragi, Ryoji Kaji and   
Wolf Larsen.  
  
"Nothing we will be talking about may ever be discussed outside of this room." Ikari started.  
"Doctor Akagi, please report about the EVAs´ and the pilots´ states."  
  
Ritsuko stared at him for a moment with confusion.  
Please... when did he use thisa word the last time...?  
She looked into her files.  
"Unit one is deep frozen, as ordered by the committee. Repairs of unit zero have priority,   
the spare parts will arrive tomorrow. Unit two will be recovered completly soon. Unit four..."  
She cast a glance at Larsen.  
"Commander, I´d like to talk to you in private."  
  
"This won´t be necessary. - Lieutenant..."  
  
Larsen smiled.  
"I guess you´ve already discovered unit four´s secret."  
  
"It´s a fake. It isn´t an EVA, but a highly modified mecha of the PALADIN-alpha-series."  
  
"Exact. Updated with EVANGELION-technology and a third generation biocomputer, as well as a   
redundand second system." He touched his temple. "I just gave the command to initiate the   
self-repair-protocols."  
  
"How..."  
  
"That´s the reason for us being here." Ikari explained. "I want to introduce to you Lieutenant-  
Commander Larsen of the UN-secret service." He gave a sound that reminded of a short laugh.  
"Leader of the PALADIN-squad. They have sent him to stop the Human Complementation Project.   
You will support him in his quest."  
  
Fuyutsuki placed a hand on Ikari´s shoulder.  
"Ikari, are you serious?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So there is no way..."  
The old man´s eyes were filled with tears.  
  
"Yes, Yui will not..."  
  
"It´s okay."  
  
"Thank you, Professor."  
  
Misato cleared her throat.  
"I´ve just got information that constuctions of unit five to thirteen have been started.   
Because of the conversation we had last night I guess that they will not be on our side."  
  
"This, Major, is the next topic. Three angels will still attack, afterwards the committee   
will try to get its hands on EVA-01, the lance of longinus and Adam. We will have to be   
prepared. How is the pilots´ state?"  
  
Ritsukos hands are shaking while she reported on the last test results.  
"Asuka´s synch rate has decreased again, she´s just able to pilot. Rei´s synch rate got a bit   
better, Shinji hasn´t been tested since his return. If Asuka´s state worsens we´ll lose her   
as pilot."  
  
"I see. The Second Child has mental problems, our experts will see to this."  
  
"Commander, your own orders were to..."  
  
"I know my orders, forget them. Situation has changed. I wish Asuka Langley to get all available   
help. We will need stable pilots. - Yes, Larsen?"  
  
"It might sound cruel, but I want to suggest recruting two other pilots, since we might need   
replacements."  
He spoke calmly and full of control but his voice betrayed a bit of self-hate.  
  
"Two?" Akagi repeated.  
  
"Yes, two. I´ve set some things into motion. If we are lucky we will have an other EVA  
unit within a few days."  
  
"Another fake?"  
  
"No, the original unit four. At the moment it is still hidden under some nets somewhere  
in the middle of the Gobi-desert. ODIN will have it brought to us in secret. And they are  
preparing a strike against SEELE, we only need to know where the groups is. Until this  
moment we will have to keep them believing to have the upperhand.  
  
"I see."  
Akagi looked at Ikari.  
"So we have a little conspiracy of our own."  
  
"Yes. We must talk, doctor."  
  
She blinked.  
What has happened to you, Gendo... One could believe that heavy burden had been removed  
from your shoulders... and the vice-commander´s reaction... Is Yui...  
  
Ikari´s phone buzzed.  
  
"Yes?"  
He turned on the speakers.  
  
"Angel sighted. Blut pattern confirmed. Angel is within satellite orbit above Tokio-3."  
  
"Wait." Gendo straightened. "The meeting´s over. I trust you to keep the secret. Get to  
your positions."  
  
No one talked, when they left the room.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Akagi and Ikari used the elevator to reach command control.  
  
They weren´t talking.  
  
Ritsuko´s gaze tried to find Ikari´s but failed at the dark tinted glasses.  
  
Two floors left...  
  
Ikari raised a hand, placed it softly on her arm.  
"I am sorry."  
  
  
***  
  
  
"Report!" Gendo Ikari demanded when he entered the control center.  
  
"Angel´s not moving. It either waits for the right moment to descend or it can attack  
from above." Misato reported. "We are unable to act as long as it stays out of weapon   
reach."  
  
"Ready units zero and two."  
  
"Both still haven´t regenerated completly."  
  
"It´s enough for a far-reaching attack, but if it comes to close quarter combat, we´ll   
another plan."  
  
"Yes, Commander. - Rei?"  
  
"Yes, Major?" it came from the speaker.  
  
"You will take the sniping rifle and fire at the angel. - Unit two, Asuka, you will watch  
her back."  
  
"Watching her back? Me? Unit zero?"  
  
"Exact. Watch her back."  
  
"You must be joking!"  
  
Misato turned towards Ikari.  
"Well, if she insists on leading the attack..."  
  
The commander nodded.  
  
"If she fails she won´t pilot ever again", Ritsuko whispered.  
  
"So it´s her last chance?"  
  
"Yes, Maya... We should prepare to get a replacement..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-02  
  
Asuka clenched her fists.  
If I fail they won´t let me piot unit two anymore. I mustn´t fail... I have nothing else...  
  
"Target´s still out of reach!"  
  
"Ah, come on, you lame angel! You suck!"  
  
As if it had heard her the angel reacted. Its gaze fell unto unit two and bathed it  
within bright light, that filled the entryplug up to the last corner, that reached right  
into Asuka´s soul.  
  
Asuka started screaming...  
Within her mind a choir started singing Hallelujah...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"What kind of weapon is this?" Misato asked the next operator when EVA-02 was bathed in  
bright light.  
  
"Unknown."  
  
"Major, the psychograph shows an abnormal pattern! Mind contamination will start soon."  
  
"A psycho-attack? Can they understand our mind?" Ritsuko whispered.  
  
Unit two fired the rifle.  
  
The positroncharge didn´t reach the angel but diminished on half way.  
  
Asuka fired again and a third time without the charges harming the angel.  
  
"Target´s out of reach!"  
  
Asuka moaned when the singing voices increased their volume.  
Her arms went numb, the fingers started twiching.  
  
As result unit two fired uncontrolled until the clip was empty, laying waste to entire  
streets.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center:  
  
Gendo clenched his fists.  
  
"Unit two out of ammo."  
  
"How is the ray analysis result?"  
  
"Energy wave of the visible wave length. It's similar to the AT-field, but the details are   
still unknown, Major."  
  
"How's Asuka?"  
Akagi stepped up to Misato´s side.  
  
"Dangerous situation. The mind-contamination broke into the borderline."  
  
Asuka´s screams came out of the speaker.  
"No... Nein! Don´t enter me! Ah... Ah... Nein! Don´t look into my mind! Please, don´t  
enter my mind!"  
  
Misato screamed the pilot´s name.  
  
"Her psychograph is at the critical point. Her mental circuit is now getting terrible damage,   
further overload will be too dangerous."  
Ritsuko looked at Misato.  
  
"Asuka, retreat!"  
  
"No...!"  
  
"Asuka, that´s an order! I order you to retreat!"  
  
"No, Definitely, No! If I must retreat, I'd rather die here!"  
  
"Unit zero in position!" Hyuka shouted.  
  
"Rei, fire!"  
  
Unit zero aimed, fired, hit.  
  
"Oh." was Rei´s only commentary.  
  
"No effect. Energy´s too weak to pierce the AT-field at this distance!"  
  
"Damned... that´s maximum charge! We have nothing else left", the Major cursed.  
  
"Life-support has priority!" Akagi ordered her charges.  
The angel´s ray seems to scan Asuka's mental wave length pattern. Oh, no, does this mean   
the angels are trying to research the human mind? Is it trying to access her memories?  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka looked at her own image, but she was very younger. Her image was crying.  
  
Why am I crying? I never wanted to cry again...  
  
Next to the little Asuka laid a teddybear.  
  
From within the darkness came her father´s voice.  
"Asuka, what´s up, it´s a present from your new mother, don´t you like it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So, what else do you want?"  
  
"I´m no small child anymore, I´ll be grown up soon, I don´t need teddybears!"  
  
The scene changed.  
  
Asuka recognized the place at once, wanted to close her eyes, couldn´t.  
She could only watch...  
  
The little Asuka stood with reddened eyes at the door of a hospital´s room.  
"Mama, please, look at me, don´t stop being my mother..."  
  
"Come with me to heaven." the woman on the bed whispered monotonous.  
  
"Mama, Mama, please... no... I´m not Mama´s doll... I will think and live on my own!  
I need neither mother nor father, I will live on my own..."  
  
"No..." Asuka whispered. "I don´t want to remember... I wanted to forget... don´t touch  
my momories... I don´t want to see this! Stop! Stop! My soul was defiled... What shall  
I only do?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"The pilot enters the dangerous zone." - "Target, no change. Relative distance shows still   
no change." - "The possibility that target will move into the firing range of Unit-0 is 0.02 %."  
  
Misato supported herself on the operator´s chairback.  
Transport Unit-0 by air? Shoot the target from the sky? No, we can't do that, if the Angel   
shoots at Unit-0 during the approaching, we can't protect it."  
  
A small window on the main screen showed Shinji within unit one´s entryplug.  
"I will take the field with unit one!"  
  
Misato looked up to the older Ikari.  
  
Fuyutsuki answered: "No. This target invades the pilot´s mind."  
  
"We must avoid the situation that unit one is invaded, too." Gendo added with slightly  
shaking voice.  
  
"So you mean it's OK if I am not defeated."  
  
"That is not guaranteed."  
I can lose you, too.  
  
"But, in this situation, Asuka..."  
  
Gendo activated a channel to unit zero.  
"Rei, descent into Terminal Dogma and get the lance."  
  
"The Lance of Longinus? Ikari, that is..."  
  
"We have no other choice to destroy the target on the satellite orbit when we cannot reach   
its AT-field from here. Rei, hurry!"  
  
"Unit zero´s passing No.6."  
  
"Ikari, it´s too early!" Fuyutsuki whispered.  
  
"You´ve heard it yourself, the committee started building the mass production unit of  
series 5. It´s a good opportunity, professor."  
  
"The old men won´t allow..."  
  
"We have to act before SEELE can, it´s no a good idea to lose unit two right now... and  
the pilot. Without the Lance we can at least slow down SEELE´s plans."  
  
"But they will get suspicious if you use the Lance without permission!"  
  
"We only need a sufficient reason - that´s one."  
Ikari pointed at the screen the showed the unmoving EVA.  
  
"Father, let me go to the surface!"  
  
"Shinji, I..."  
  
A lamp lightened up on Ikari´s terminal, somebody tried to call him on a private communication   
channel.  
"Yes?"  
  
"Commander, trust him."  
  
"Larsen... But he might die..."  
  
"I will watch out for him."  
The comlink was canceled.  
  
Gendo swallowed. Then he got up.  
"Defreeze unit one as fast as possible!"  
  
Misato and Ritsuko stared at him, then Akagi turned towards her instuments and gave the  
necessary orders herself.  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-hangar:  
  
"Boy, are you ready?"  
  
"Yes, Wolf." Shinji only needed to turn his head to see the other one.  
  
Larsen cowered on unit one´s shoulder, talking with pilot via his headset.  
"It might be a ride right into hell itself."  
  
"I can´t abandon Asuka!"  
  
"Defreezing process initiated!"  
  
"Wolf, I can feel EVA-01´s legs again. I can move!"  
  
"Good. Look, I will anchor myself now, it might hurt a bit."  
  
"Yes."  
The next moment Shinji thought needles to be digging into his flesh.  
"Au."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It´s okay."  
He looked aside.  
  
Larsen had... grown claws from the backs of his hands, that had dug into the EVA´s shoulder   
armor.  
"We can launch."  
He grinned.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"Lifesupport critical!" - "Unit zero´s arrived at Terminal Dogma!" - "Unit one ready to  
launch!"  
  
"Send them up to unit two directly!" Ikari ordered.  
  
"Directly? But then the beam will also hit them!"  
  
"Trust, Fuyutsuki, trust..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-01 lauched, raced towards the surface.  
  
"Asuka, I am coming!"  
  
Shinji brought unit one between unit two and the angel, raised the hand like he wanted  
to defend against the light.  
  
The Hallelujah made the LCL within the entryplug shivvering.  
  
It got bright...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Shinji:  
  
He saw himself, younger, much younger, standing in front of a window, looking at the  
purple-green giant on the other side.  
  
His father stood behind him smiling, a hand on Shinji´s shoulder.  
  
On the other side his mother appeared, in his eyes a great hero, wearing a suit like the  
people in the science fiction movies he loved to watch.  
His mother, the mecha pilot.  
  
He waved.  
  
She saw him, waved back.  
  
"Now, Shinji!" his father whispered excited.  
  
Her mother entered the plug that was lifted into the air and injected into the back of the   
giant´s neck.  
  
"No! Don´t! Mother, don´t! Father, stop her...!" Shinji screamed, but was unable to break down  
the barriere between himself and his memories of the past.  
"I don´t want to remember, not again..."  
  
The robot went berserk.  
  
"Synchrate at 400%" a woman shouted. "We are losing her!"  
  
Shinji´s younger image didn´t understand what was happening, felt only fear for his mother.   
His father´s grip grew painful.  
  
"No, Mother!"  
He reached out for help...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Larsen:  
  
A blurred white ceiling...  
  
The eternal humming of instruments...  
  
A cover laying on his chest like a weight...  
  
Arms existing only in his memories...  
  
Emptyness...  
  
A mouth unable to speak due to several tubes...  
  
Lips forming words...  
  
"Ich will sterben... Laßt mich endlich sterben..."  
(trans.: I want to die... Let me die..."  
  
"Really? Do you really want to die?"  
It was his own voice whispering these words from the darkness.  
  
A meadow.  
A small bluehaired girl running towards him laughing.  
"Papa!"  
  
A dam, the concrete wall showing first tears, water pushing through those tears...  
Twelve giant of steel following his orders, placing reinforcing metal plates on the wall...  
  
A large room...  
An officer handing him a medal...  
"For exceptional bravery..."  
  
Happyness...  
  
Pride...  
  
Triumph...  
  
A scream:  
"I want to live!"  
  
Darkness...  
"Robot..." - "Cyborg..." - "Machine..." - "Monster..." - "Spare parts..." - "No human..."  
"This old man consists of more plastic than my old teddybear!"  
Asuka? Where are you?  
A smacking sound...  
"This old man, as you call him, is ready to sacrifice the last bit of life he has for us..."  
Major Katsuragi...  
"Is this the only reason you called me? To pilot this... thing?"  
Shinji...  
"I need your help!"  
Ikari...  
"We meet at the strangest places..."  
Kaji...  
  
His gaze fixed a point within the darkness.  
"I don´t fear you. My memories are what makes me, they are all I´ve left, all I am!"  
  
And it brightened.  
  
The light shone into his mind, tried to swallow his soul, tried to suffocate its light...  
  
... found only emptyness...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"Unit zero returns to surface with the Lance!"  
  
Ikari was breathing faster.  
  
"Engel invades the Third Child´s mind!" - "Mind-contamination at Larsen!"  
  
"Maya, look at this!" Ritsuko pointed at the readings of the synchrates.  
  
"But... that´s..."  
  
"Shinji and Asuka are synching with each other - like during the fight against the fish-  
angel. They can make it!"  
  
"Angel ceases to attack the pilots!"  
  
The beam of light tightened, got even brighter. Within its center was Wolf Larsen who  
had straightened.  
  
"Trust..." Fuyutsuki repeated Ikari´s words.  
  
"What is he saying?" Ikari asked when Larsen´s lips started moving.  
  
"Interpretation initiated... Amplifier..."  
  
"I don´t fear you!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka:  
  
She looked up to the ceiling.  
  
"No... Mama!"  
  
The woman in the white nightgown was slowing circling around at the rope. Her eyes were  
without life.  
  
"Mama..."  
  
She reached out for help...  
  
and found someone...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Asuka/Shinji:  
  
Shinji´s mother was entering the entryplug...  
  
Asuka´s mother was hanging from the ceiling...  
  
Shinji´s mother dissolved...  
  
Dead eyes...  
  
"I hate you..."  
  
"I mustn´t run away... I mustn´t run away..."  
  
The touch of a hand...  
  
The presence of another human...  
  
And the singing stopped...  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-02:  
  
Asuka opened the eyes panting.  
  
In front of her, in front of EVA-02, unit one stood, Shinji stood, with arms spread,  
hands clenched to fists, standing between herself and the angels, protecting her.  
  
He did come...  
  
On unit one´s shoulder the small human figure stood, bathed in light that bright that it  
hurt even with eyes closed.  
  
"Shinji..."  
  
"Asuka..."  
It wasn´t Shinji who answered but a calm and controlled voice, a voice she had learned to  
hate. But the sound of Rei´s voice gave back to her a feeling for reality.  
  
Unit zero appeared next to her, a long spear in hand.  
  
"Unit zero, get ready to throw!"  
  
EVA-00 didn´t move.  
  
"Unit zero, Rei, answer!"  
  
EVA-00 turned towards unit two, handing it the lance.  
"Finish it!"  
  
Asuka grabbed the lance automatically.  
  
"Rei, what are you doing?"  
  
"I´ve brought her the lance, Major."  
  
"Unit two, get ready!"  
  
Asuka looked at her tactical screen, followed the instructions.  
  
"Confirm the target. Correct the error, OK. Start the countdown. 10 seconds before zero.  
8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."  
  
EVA-02 threw the lance with all its might.  
  
Asuka gave a long angry shout.  
"Eat this, bastard!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"Lance approaching target. Contact. AT-field pierced! Target deceased!"  
  
"Psycho-ray´s off."  
  
"The Lance?" Fuyutsuki asked.  
  
"Moving to the lunar orbit."  
  
"Then it is lost for us..."  
  
"Good." Ikari mumbled. "State of the pilots?"  
  
"Mind contamination´s over. Parameters acceptable!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-hangar:  
  
"Asuka, I am so happy that you are okay!"  
Shinji ran towards Asuka who was just leaving EVA-02´s entryplug.  
  
She looked at him silently.  
He is like myself... and he knows it...  
  
He stopped in front of her.  
"What is..."  
  
She embraced him, pulled him up to her.  
"You´ve been there..."  
  
Shinji´s urge to run away vanished as fast as it had appeared.  
  
A bit farther away Larsen jumped from EVA-01´s shoulder onto the catwalk, landed next  
to Rei.  
"Ah, that was some kind of ride..."  
  
She didn´t react, was just looking at Shinji and Asuka who were still embracing. On her  
face was an expression of... jealousy...  
  
Gendo Ikari entered the catwalk, followed by Ritsuko, Maya and Misato. For a moment he  
stopped by Shinji and Asuka.  
"Asuka, are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, Commander."  
  
"Go and have Akagi medically check you. Good work."  
Then he turned towards Shinji.  
"I´m proud of you."  
  
Shinji´s eyes lightened up.  
"Father..."  
  
But he had already walked away, nodded at Larsen and said to Rei:   
"We have to talk."  
  
  
  
next: all for one... 


	13. Chapter 11 - Rei

Chapter 11 - Rei  
  
  
NERV, Gendo Ikari´s bereau:  
  
"Rei, why did you give the Lance to Asuka?"  
  
"It was necessary."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She needed a victory."  
  
"Rei... how did you know this?"  
  
"I know her."  
  
"You ignored a direct order."  
  
"It had to be to save the Second Child."  
  
"..." Ikari looked at her, tried to read her red eyes.  
"Rei, you´ve changed since Shinji´s arrival. What shall I do know?"  
  
"I am replacable."  
  
"..."  
  
"May I leave?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
  
***  
  
  
This very afternoon he had yet another visitor, it was his son who entered his bureau for  
the first time without being ordered to.  
  
"Father,... can... can I talk to you?"  
  
At first he wanted to tell him that he had no time, but then he remembered his promise,  
the promise given at the shore of a bloodred sea...  
"Yes. Come in, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I wanted to thank you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you let me help Asuka, because you had trust."  
  
The older Ikari nodded.  
"Good."  
He looked at his filed, notices after about a minute, that Shinji was still standing in  
front of the desk.  
"What else?"  
  
"Father... Mother´s inside of EVA-01, isn´t she?"  
  
He swallowed.  
"Shinji, how..."  
  
"I met her when I was part of EVA-01... And today I was reminded of the accident..."  
  
"Yes... That´s the reason I gave you unit one, to make sure that you will be protected..."  
  
"Father, when EVA-01 went berserk... That was..."  
  
"Your mother, trying to protect you, yes."  
  
"So we have to get her out of it!"  
The emotions Shinji suddenly showed surprised even his father.  
  
Gendo shook his head.  
"That´s impossible. Until a few days ago I believed otherwise but I was in error. Do you  
undestand? She´ll never come back..."  
  
"Father..."  
  
Gendo felt wetness on his cheeks.  
  
"Father, you are crying..."  
Shinji walked around the mighty desk and gave his father an handkerchief.  
"Here..."  
  
"Thanks... Shinji, I didn´t want to abandon you... but I had to free your mother... And  
now I´ve lost everything... friends... family... my own soul... even you..."  
  
"Father..."  
Shinji´s eyes were wet.  
  
"Could you forgive me?"  
  
Shinji swallowed.  
He remembered his mother death, remembered the day his father left him with his sensei,  
the day they finally met again after all the years, the day he was forced to pilot EVA-01  
for the first time, remembered the badly hurt Rei who would have piloted if he had   
refused...  
He took a step backwards.  
"I do not know."  
  
Gendo nodded.  
"What ever happens, I won´t leave you alone a second time."  
  
"I wished that I could believe you. But after all you´ve done to me, Rei and Asuka...  
You knew about Asuka, didn´t you? And Rei who´s ready to die by for command..."  
  
"She means much to you, doesn´t she? Both mean a lot to you..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"We will have to fight two angel still, we don´t know, where, when and how they will attack   
and then... then it will be over, one way or the other. And maybe the two of us will be able   
to talk then."  
  
"Yes, father, maybe..."  
  
"You´ve changed..."  
  
"You forced me to."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato´s apartment, evening:  
  
Misato wasn´t at home. Asuka and Shinji were not really unhappy about that fact since it  
had been Misato´s turn to cook dinner.  
  
Asuka was very silent while Shinji cooked the dinner she sat at the table and watched him.  
When he place the meal on the table she ate in silence.  
  
"Asuka, what´s up with you?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You haven´t said a word..."  
Not that I wish for you screaming at me, but that makes me afraid...  
  
"It´s just... the angel..."  
  
"I see."  
  
She looked at him, the fork she used instead of chopsticks halfway between plate and mouth.   
Asuka remembered the blurry visions she had had just before the angel aborted the attack to   
concentrate upon Larsen.  
"You lost your mother, too..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you saw how she..."  
  
"As you did, Asuka. You are not alone. If you need a friend I will be there for you."  
  
She blinked.  
"After all? After me treating you badly and shouting at you and...?"  
She got up, stepped to his side, inspected him thoroughly.  
  
"Asuka...?"  
  
"What did happen to you? Were you kidnapped by aliens and exchanged for one of them?  
Did Ritstuko implant a spine?"  
  
Shinji laughted.  
"No. That happens when one starts to understand the results of his own actions."  
  
"Ha, you are an idiot!"  
  
"That´s the Asuka I´m used to."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"She have a lovely smile."  
  
"Argh! Don´t push it too far!"  
  
"Okay, okay! I talked to my father today, he thinks that only two angels will still   
attack and that it´ll be over afterwards."  
  
"Really? But... but then there wouldn´t be any reasons left to pilot EVA..."  
  
"I know that it is very important for you."  
  
"Important? I´ve been trained my whole life to pilot!"  
  
"That´s what I mean. They won´t destroy the EVAs, maybe they will give them to the peace-  
keeping forces to support the PALADIN-squad or something like this. There will always be  
a way if it is that important."  
  
"You spend way too much time with the old man... hm, he´d only need a mountain, so he  
would be the old man of the mountain..."  
She giggled.  
"Ah, that´s so stupid!"  
  
Shinji raised his hands to signal that he didn´t want to comment on this.  
  
"Good, so say nothing and stay silent. In germany we say: ´Speaking is silver, but being  
silent is gold.´... But there´s something else..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You told me that you were there if I needed a friend..."  
  
"Yes, just a moment ago."  
  
"After the mission I was at the infirmary... and there was this doctor..."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"A psychiatrist... it seems that Commander Ikari gave him my file with the informations  
about... about... the death..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He wants to see me tomorrow... You know, therapy... heavens, as if I was mad... It´s  
been more than ten years and I did not need a therapy for all the time and then comes  
that cursed angel along and start digging up all the stuff I wanted to forget... I only  
hope that the Lance hit it where it hurt!"  
  
"You killed it... I guess that hurt."  
  
"Ha! Exactly! Well... would you accompany me tomorrow?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Please?"  
  
She looked at him with her blue puppy eyes, he couldn´t have resisted even if she had  
just him in the worst way imaginable.  
  
"Okay, I´ll accompany you."  
  
"Thank you."  
She bent down and place a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"A... Asuka..."  
  
"Don´t let it get to your head, Shinji! And if you tell somebody... like Touji or Kensuke..."  
She made with one hand scissor-like movement while pointing with the other one at a certain   
part of human, or better male, physignomy.  
"Understood?"  
  
gulp  
"Understood."  
  
"Good."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV, Gendo Ikari´s bureau, the next evening:  
  
The commander brwosed the NERV´s own psychiatrist´s report about his first meeting with  
the Second Child.  
  
What... Shinji did accompany her... grouptherapy... conversation with both of them about  
the loss of the mother and the relationship with the father... a request to have the  
First Child join them...  
  
A large sweat drop formed on his brow.  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-hangar:  
  
Within the room the remains of EVA-04 had been brought something moved.  
  
One of the four eyes flared for a moment, then cables shot out of the torso into all  
directions, closing connections with other parts, dragging the limbs towards the torso.  
  
The finger of one hand twitched, clenched a fist, unclenched again...  
  
With each part connected to the whole the capacities of the redundand second computer  
grew until it was enough to initiate the main protocols for self repair.  
  
From within the mecha a stream of spiderlike robot came the size of a hand to start  
repairs.  
  
Within the semi-assembled entryplug the controls returned one after one until the main  
screen activated.  
  
System-Upload: 24%. Re-Installation: 09%  
  
"Wow", Ritsuko Akagi just said.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Three days later the MAGI noticed a blue pattern, an angel...  
  
The angel resembled a mobiusloop made of energy, slowly moving around several ankles at  
the some time.  
  
Gendo Ikari turned his eyes from the picture on the screen.  
"Unit zero will intercept. Unit two will backup with a positronrifle."  
  
This time Asuka gave no protests but nodded.  
  
"Unit one stays in reserve."  
  
"Father?"  
  
"You know the reason."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Behind Ikari Fuyutsuki and Larsen stood, each at one of the commander´s sides.  
"How long will EVA-04 need for self-repairs?"  
  
"Thanks to doctor Akagi´s help about four days. The angel has hit us quite badly, and  
fact that the plug had had an emergency evacuation doesn´t make it easier."  
  
"The target just passed the Gora-line of defense. It´s now above Owakudani-valley, AT-  
field still active."  
  
Hyuga frowned.  
"Pattern changes from blue to orange and back cyclingly."  
  
"What does this mean?"  
  
"The MAGI are analysing, Major. Answer: Data insufficient."  
  
"Hm, the form..." Ritsuko mumbled. "I think it´s pure energy."  
  
"That doesn´t make it any easier" Katsuragi answered. "Rei, just watch, understood? We  
are still collecting data."  
  
"No! It´s approaching!" within Rei´s usually calm voice was a hint of terror when the  
angel suddenly descended.  
  
"Rei! Open fire!"  
  
"Target´s too close!" Makoto shouted. "Target made physical contact to unit zero!"  
  
The mobiusloop had embraced EVA-00.  
  
"The AT-field?"  
  
"Develloping, but penetrated, Major!"  
  
"The angel is trying to establish contact to unit zero... does it want to unite with it?"  
Ritsuko asked, speaking her thoughts.  
  
"Danger! Target invades biological components of unit zero!"  
  
"Unit two! Asuka, help her!"  
  
"Understood, Misato... If I fire I´ll hit EVA-00!"  
  
"Angel invades further! 5% are already bio-fused!"  
  
"Asuka! Approach! AT-field on maximum! We´ll send you the data about its weaknesses where  
it has no contact with unit zero, so you can fire at it! - Ritsuko, decrease the synch  
between Rei and EVA-00, but slowly!"  
  
"I´m already at it!"  
  
"Understood. Damned, the thing´s moving too fast for the targetting systems! Hang on,  
Wondergirl, I´ll get you out!" Asuka explained at the same time.  
  
EVA-02 get go of the rifle, stormed at the angel, grabbed the energy form and pulled.  
  
The next moment Asuka screamed.  
"My hands!"  
  
"Heavy damages at the interiors of EVA-02´s hands... heavy burns. Pilot´s suffering the  
same injuries!"  
  
"Asuka, retreat! You mustn´t come into contact with the angel!"  
  
Asuka stared at her hands. The material of her plugsuit was burned.  
"But what shall I do? I can´t fire and close combat is not possible! I´d need a big lever  
or even better a pair of progressive scissors..."  
  
Ikari opened a com-link to the hangar.  
"Start unit one."  
  
Shinji opened a video link.  
"Father, can I..."  
  
Gendo nodded.  
"Yes, do your best!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Rei:  
  
Where? Where am I? I am inside of EVA, unit zero. No, there´s someone else... Who are  
you? An angel? One of those being we call angels?  
  
Don´t you want to unite with me? she heard a voice. It was her own voice and at the  
same time it wasn´t.  
  
No. I am myself. Rei Ayanami.  
  
Hm... You should think about it... to late... we are already sharing a common part, an  
emotion... pain... your soul´s full of pain... no, something else, similiar... lonelyness...  
  
Lonelyness? I do not understand?!  
  
You don´t like to be alone? But you keep your distance to other people... we are many...  
but you hate it to be alone. To be alone, that´s lonelyness. Your heart is full of sadness...  
  
"It´s right..."  
Tears rolled down her cheeks.  
"I am lonely..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
"It´s right... I am lonely..." Rei´s voice whispered from the loudspeakers.  
  
"Rei! Answer!" Misato shouted.  
  
"Unit one arrives at the surface!"  
  
"Shinji! AT-field at maximum! Save Rei!"  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Asuka, help him! Think!"  
  
"What how?" Asuka shouted.  
Then she looked down at her injured hands.  
Whatever... it doesn´t matter that I do not like Wondergirl... she´s part of the team.  
And probably she´s just like Shinji and myself... I am used to pain...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Rei:  
  
Ikari... Shinji... Shin-chan...  
  
Ah...  
  
I want to be with him...  
  
Why not? This would be the end to your lonelyness.  
The suggestion was tempting.  
  
No... He has to live...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
Shinji made EVA-01 ran to unit zero, grabbed the angel with one hand, that had coiled  
around unit zero like a snake, while attacking with the progressive knife in the other  
hand. He knew what to expect but screamed with pain the next moment non the less.  
  
Gendo clenched his fists harder with each the scream kept coming until his fingernails  
had dug through his gloves and into the flesh of his hands.  
  
"AT-field polarity of unit zero reversed!" Maya reported.  
  
"To bind the angel?" Ritsuko supposed.  
  
"Rei, leave unit zero at once! Shinji will take care of the angel!" Misato shouted.  
  
"No" Rei whispered full of pain. "If I... leave... the AT-field will... disappear... I am  
replaceable..."  
  
The video-link to her entryplug was restablished.  
  
Rei was writhing in the pilot´s seat under heavy cramps, her hand groping for the self-  
destruction mechanism, her face wet with the tears she cried.  
  
Ikari entered the radio link.  
"You are not replaceable! Rei, fight it! - Shinji, if she truely means something to you..."  
  
Shinji´s answer was an angry scream, interrupting the scream of pain when started pulling  
at the angel with new vigor, started to cut its connection with unit zero.  
"I won´t allow it! Rei, do you listen? I won´t allow you to die this way!"  
  
"Unit one´s hands are suffering heavy damage. Similiar injuries with the pilot!" -   
"Synchrate´s increasing!" - "EVA-01 goes berserk!" - "EVA-02 enters the fray!"  
  
Asuka´s red EVA hold its progressive knife with both hands.  
  
Within the entryplug Asuka sat with lips bitten bloody to move her attention away from  
her hands.  
  
The progressive knife cut down again and again, while unit one was removing further parts  
of the angel from unit zero.  
  
EVA-01´s hands were smoking.  
  
"Synchrate approaches 100%"  
  
"Yui... protect him... but don´t take him away again..." Gendo whispered praying.  
  
Larsen turned around.  
"I´ll go up with the medics."  
  
"Angel removed from EVA-00 completly! Core identified. Datas are transmitted!"  
  
"Rei, reverse polarity! Prepare for the explosion!"  
  
For a moment the explosion´s bright flash blurred the video-transmitting.  
  
EVA-00 hung in unit one´s arms that lifted it up and carried it towards the launching shafts.  
  
  
***  
  
  
He suffers... he´s suffering for you... Why are you humans doing something like this?  
Where did you got such a potential?  
The voice of the angel, using Rei´s voice, got lower and lower until it went silent.  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-hangar:  
  
Larsen pulled Shinji out of the entryplug. His eyes widened when he saw the boy´s burned  
hands.  
"Don´t move your hands, don´t touch anything, understood?"  
  
"How is Rei?"  
  
"I will look after her. Stay here!"  
He ran to the next bay.  
  
A group of techs stood around a half ejected plug.  
  
"What´s going on?"  
  
"The plug´s been damaged by heat, we are waiting for the right tool to open the hatch."  
  
"Nonsense, damaged hatches are my specialty!"  
He let his progressive claws plop out of his cyberarms...  
  
Asuka sat on the catwalk next to her EVA, back to the railing, while a doctor was treating  
her hands.  
  
Shinji walked up to her, ignoring the pulsating pain within his hands.  
  
"Ah, come, sit down, young man, you are next", the doctor greeted him. "Well done."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, the angel´s destroyed, the city´s saved and you protected your fellow pilot from  
the beast."  
  
"Uhm..."  
  
"Come, show me your hands... doesn´t look nice, no, really not... so, some of the paste,  
it´s quite cooling, eh? Well, the three of you are having quite a few fans at the staff."  
  
"Is this true?"  
Shinji blushed.  
  
"Why should I lie to you? You are our last line of defense. We all count on you, fever  
with you when you launch, pray for you..."  
  
"Oh."  
Suddenly the pain seemed to lessen.  
  
"Hey, Shinji, let go of your biggest fan and give me some of your attention." Asuka teased.   
Her hands were bandaged.  
He looks really sweet when he´s blushing. Au, shit, bloody hands...  
  
"Are you okay, Asuka?"  
  
"My hand do look better than yours if that´s what you wanted to know."  
  
"That calms me."  
He looked across the hangar where Wolf Larsen was opening the hatch of Rei´s entryplug  
really unconventionally, while his hands were bandaged by the doctor.  
"I have to see if she´s alright."  
  
"She means much to you, doesn´t she...?!"  
  
He blushed even more.  
"Yes..."  
  
"More than I do?"  
  
Shinji looked her into the eyes.  
"You two, Rei and you, are the most important people in my life."  
Each of you in a very special way... you are some kind of sister... and Rei is...  
He got up and walked away.  
  
"Hm, so I still have chances..." Asuka smiled thinking.  
  
Larsen was just lifting the unconscious Rei out of the plug and handing her over to two  
medics.  
  
"Wolf, how is she?"  
  
"Ah, Shinji! Rei is still unconscious, but there are no visible injuries, the spine seems  
to be intact as does the head. And she hasn´t spit blood, what deems to be a good sign  
thinking about possible interior injuries. The medics went care for her."  
  
Shinji started breathing again.  
"I am happy that she hasn´t been hurt."  
  
"Well, I don´t know what the angel might have done to her mind. When she wakes up a friend  
should be there for her."  
  
"Yes, thanks, Wolf."  
  
"How are your hands?"  
  
"That will heal. If we hadn´t saved Rei, there wouldn´t have been anything left to heal."  
  
Larsen nodded.  
"Your father will like this, you are quite sensible for a boy your age."  
  
"My father..."  
  
´Can you forgive me?´ - ´If she truely means something to you...´  
"I should better go to the infirmary."  
  
"Yes, do this. Next time I will be part of the team again."  
  
Shinji wasn´t listening to him anymore.  
  
"Children..."  
He thought of his own daughter and smiled.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-infirmary  
  
Shinji knew the room, the ceiling was familiar.  
  
Just a few days ago he had woken up laying on the same bed. Now Rei was laying on it.  
  
But this times role had been reversed, this time he guarded her sleep.  
  
Rei woke up about an hour later, sat up with eyes wide open like awakening from a nightmare.  
  
"Rei..."  
  
She blinked, looked at him.  
"Shinji, you are here."  
Rei took his bandaged hand, squeezed it, pulled him toward her at the same time.  
  
He winched, what made her let him go.  
"That... I am sorry... I didn´t want to hurt you..."  
  
"It´s okay." he say with a crooked smile while fighting against the tears of pain.  
  
"No, nothing is okay... You could have been killed when you came to my aid."  
  
"That didn´t matter to me that moment. You were in danger. We are a team, you would have  
done the same for me."  
  
"Yes..."  
She remembered fighting the fifth angel when she had protected unit one from the angel´s  
energy ray.  
"Yes. That´s what´s expected of..." she frowned, an unusual view, "... brothers-in-arms.  
But you have done more for me."  
  
"Rei... how do you mean this?"  
  
"Do you remember being at my apartment with Suzuhara-kun and... cleaning?"  
  
"Yes, but how was that important?"  
  
"You did something for me nobody had done before."  
  
"Cleaning?"  
  
A simple gesture, meaning that I wasn´t alone, that you cared for me... that I mean  
something to you... And just now... You said, you wouldn´t allow me to die by the angel´s  
hands... no one cared before if I lived or died... I was always replaceable..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Do I mean something to you?"  
  
"Yes... a lot..."  
  
"Thank you."  
Carefully she embraced him.  
"I was afraid."  
  
"Afraid?"  
  
"Afraid of the lonelyness. Please stay, stay with me."  
  
"Uhm... Rei, surely you still need rest. I´ll stay until you fall asleep, okay?"  
  
"Yes. Just don´t go."  
  
"Ah... and I will still be here, when you´ll wake up again, promised."  
  
  
  
next: Rei dies... really... and a pact with the devil is sealed... 


	14. Chapter 12 - The Fifth Child, Part 1: Ka...

Chapter 12 - Fifth Child, Part 1: Kaworu  
  
  
NERV, late evening  
  
The conspirators met at the same place as before  
  
Last last to come was Ryoji Kaji who nodded at Akagi.  
"Thanks, Ritsuko for manipulating the sensors to allow me entering unnoticed."  
  
"I am manipulating quite a lot these days."  
  
"Now we are complete." Ikari started the meeting. "Major Kaji, what are your prognoses?"  
  
The chief of NERV´s strategical planning section smiled thinly.  
"With the MAGIs´ help I´ve created some different scenarios to see how SEELE will react.  
They want to get the NERV base as undamaged as possible since neither Adam nor EVA-01  
must be damaged if they want to do their thing. We have a probability of about 79% that  
SEELE will try to take over the MAGI via the backup systems. Larsen and I have already  
taken countermeasures. And we are checking the staff for spies of SEELE."  
  
"Hm. Good."   
  
"The next thing might be a physical attack. SEELE controls the UN-forces within the  
asian east, they also have connections to the ministery of interior so they might send  
the JSSDF. And finally there are the nine EVA units of series 5, I was told that they  
have managed to integrate artificial S2-engeines."  
  
"But they have no pilots."  
  
"That´s right, we have the pilots. So they will use a dummyplug system or a simple remote  
control."  
  
"Thanks, Major. Lieutenant-Commander Larsen, what can you add to the Major´s report?"  
  
"The promised EVA unit four will arrive in about a week, so we will have five units ready.   
And we will get severel ODIN-specialists to do further modifications at the fake  
unit to speed up reactions. But there still is another point to adress: SEELE shouldn´t  
know our true strenght."  
  
"What would you suggest?"  
  
"False reports. Doctor Akagi and Major Katsuragi could manipulate the synch test results  
in a way that the Second Child nearly seems to be unable to pilot. EVA-00 could have  
suffered heavy damaged to the nerv joints. And the First Child... a dead body is fast at  
hand, as we showed with Major Kaji. If we manage to make SEELE believe that we only have  
one usable unit left we will win time."  
  
"Okay. - Doctor Akagi?"  
  
"It´s possible."  
  
"Good. Who did you select as new pilots?"  
  
"Here... Touji Suzuhara already has got a basic training. The second candidate is Hikari  
Horaki..."  
  
"Ritsuko, I can understood chosing Touji, but why Hikari?" Misato asked.  
  
"The data tell me that she´s mentally stable and quite strainable. Since we will have to  
train them in secret we will need such virtues."  
  
"Which units will they pilot?"  
  
Larsen leaned forward.  
"Suzuhara will pilot the soon to arrive unit while Hiraki will pilot the PALADIN-hybrid,   
so she will have additional protection and a bit of help from the computer."  
  
"Won´t you pilot EVA-04?"  
  
"No. Our plan tells me to play a different part. Doctor Akagi, could you spare some  
minutes for me tomorrow?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Ikari cleared his throat. At once all fell silent.  
"I think that´s enough for today. Doctor, would you accompany me into Terminal Dogma?"  
  
Ritsuko nodded hestitantly.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma:  
  
The descent into Terminal Dogma had happened without one of them saying a word.  
  
Just when the elevator doors opened, Akagi spoke to Gendo.  
"Why are we here?"  
  
"We need a body."  
  
"You want to get one of the clones from the vat and present it as Rei to SEELE."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why this change of mind?"  
  
"Ritsuko... I had to understand, that Yui´s lost... forever... that it is time to turn  
towards other things, to walk new paths..."  
  
She blinked.  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. I have done many things I am sorry for now. Probably I´ve lost Shinji. And I guess  
you hate me for being the man I am."  
  
She grabbed his arm, forced him to stop, forced him to look into her eyes.  
"I do not hate you."  
  
"Ritsuko... There are still several things to do... and afterwards... if you still want  
me..."  
  
She smiled, let go of him.  
"We´ll see."  
  
Silently they entered the room of the dummyplug.  
  
Akagi opened the vat´s windows.  
  
Several dozens of Reis looked at them, smiled when they recognized Ikari.  
  
"I initiate the extraction of a clone."  
  
"Yes."  
He didn´t say another word, just watched the clones within the LCL, caught the gaze of  
each of them, searching within their eyes for true life like he had seen it within  
Rei´s eyes.  
Without success...  
  
Soon a naked clone cowered in front of the vat´s hatch. Lifeless eyes looked up to Ikari.  
  
"The clone won´t survive this night out of the LCL... It doesn´t have a soul..."  
  
"I know, Ritsuko. And now... destroy the other clones."  
  
"Are you serious? What if something happens to Rei?"  
  
"You have seen her tears, too, haven´t you? Rei is no longer replaceable... She has become   
human... And we don´t need the dummyplug anymore. Destroy those soulless beings!"  
  
"You are serious..."  
You loked down at her remote. Just a few commands and the remembrance of Yui would be  
gone.  
"What about Rei? The one Rei at the infirmary?"  
  
"She has lost her heart to Shinji, she shall live. I am also doing that for her."  
  
Not replaceable anymore...  
"That must be the Ikari-charm... Okay, I´ll do it."  
  
"Yes."  
  
The clones all opened their eyes widely at the very same moment, the eerie smile vanished  
from their lips. Then they dissolved...  
  
Gendo straightened.  
"Lets do the exchange, Kaji is already waiting."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-infirmary, early morning  
  
Shinji had left the still sleeping Rei to return to Misato´s apartment and put on some  
fresh clothes. Alas, he had fallen asleep on his bed so that it took him about three  
hours to return. He had a very bad feeling when he returned to the infirmary.  
  
His bad feeling proved right when he stepped into an empty room.  
"Where is she?" he asked the next person to cross his path. It was the same doctor who  
had treated his hands the day before.  
  
The man only shook his head.  
"She did not survive the night."  
  
"What..."  
Shinji´s hands were trembling. The bandages prevented him from clentching the fists.  
  
"Two hours ago she suffered a complete failture of all internal organs. I am sorry."  
  
"No... that cannot be... not her..."  
Tears blurred his sight.  
"Not Rei..."  
He remembered...  
... Rei on the stretcher the day he had joined NERV...  
... the night before the fight with the fifth angel...  
´I will protect you. Goodbye...´  
... the smile on her face when he asked her for one...  
´I am afraid of lonelyness... please, stay, stay with me...´  
"Why... I only had stayed... It´s my fault..."  
I mustn´t run away... I mustn´t run away... I mustn´t...  
  
"You could have done nothing to prevent it."  
The doctor wanted to place a comforting hand on his shoulder but Shinji dogded him, ran  
away.  
  
At the infirmary´s exit a strong hand grabbed him.  
  
"Follow me, boy", Larsen hissed.  
  
"Wolf... let me go..."  
  
But the man didn´t listen to him, dragged him into an alcove where behind a panel was  
a hidden elevator he pushed him into, stepped into himself, pushed the lowest button.  
"Your father wanted to do this, but you were too early and with him away they called me."  
  
"Wolf... Larsen... what... I want to..."  
  
"Just wipe the tears from your eyes, yes?"  
  
"Rei´s dead... What do you want from me? It´s my fault... I did not protect her..."  
  
The elevator arrived at its destination.  
  
"Lowest floor, Terminal Dogma. Welcome to NERV´s basement", a voice greeted them from the  
shadows.  
  
"Kaji? But... Misato said... you had returned to... Germany..."  
  
"Just a little trick to get rid of some goons who wanted to see me dead."  
  
Next to Kaji Rei appeared from a side corridor, wearing her school uniform.  
  
Seeing her made Shinji forget the two adults.  
"Rei, you are alive!"  
He ran to her, embraced her, ignoring his wounded hands.  
  
At first she stiffened, but then she returned the embrace.  
"You have cryed for me." she whispered into his ear.  
  
"They told me you were dead..."  
  
"I am alive."  
To prove it she kissed him softly on the lips.  
  
At first he wanted to back out, then he returned the kiss hungryly.  
I don´t want to run away...  
  
"Shall we leave them alone?" Kaji aswed Larsen.  
  
The cyborg made a weighting gesture.  
"Better not. I think there are way too many teenager-hormons in the air."  
  
"Ha!"  
  
The two teenager broke their kiss.  
  
"Rei..."  
  
"Shinji..."  
  
"Ähm, if you two love-birds are done with looking into each other´s eyes, I´d like to  
give Shinji and Larsen a tour." Kaji laughted.  
  
"Did you already got an overview?"  
  
"Just after Commander Ikari brought Rei and me down here. A few rooms are locked, but  
it´s still very interestant. Just wait until you´ve seem the cementary of the EVAs, a  
dinosaur-exhibition is nothing compared to it."  
Kaji acted like a child that had got a new toy. He signed Larsen to follow him and pushed  
Shinji in front of him. Rei stayed by Shinji´s side.  
  
The destination was a really BIG hall.  
  
Within the hall was a large cross with a cruzified seven eyed giant without legs. From  
the stumps a clear fluid was dripping that that formed a small sea below, large enough  
for a boat to swim onto.  
  
"Ui... you didn´t exaggerate, Kaji..."  
  
"Kaji, what... is this?"  
  
Instead of Kaji Larsen answered:  
"I guess its Adam, the reason for the angels attacking us."  
  
"Because of this being they are coming?"  
  
"Adam is the first angel, I guess it´s something a big brother to the other angels.  
And if you ask me, I´d be quite angry to if my big brother was nailed to a cross and  
imprisoned within the basement. Damned..."  
  
"But why doesn´t father let it go? So the other angels would not have a reason to attack  
anymore..."  
  
"Well, Shinji..." Kaji said. "That´s not sure. And... this cannot be Adam."  
  
"What?" Shinji and Larsen asked.  
  
Kaji smile embaressed.  
"When I brough Adam to the Commander it was in my suitcase..."  
  
"That much about the big brother-theory..."  
  
"Was that the reason for the angel attacking the convoi?"  
  
"Probably. As far as I know it Adam is still bound within bakelit, so this can´t be Adam."  
He pointed at the white giant.  
  
"Hm, why can´t Ikari just play with an open hand?"  
  
"I guess he´s used to not to do it."  
  
"What does this all mean?"  
  
The two adults looked at the boy.  
  
"Well, I guess we can also tell him the complete story." Kaji sighed.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma  
  
"That´s my room." Rei explained with emotionless voice.  
  
Shinji looked around, the place resembled Rei´s apartment. It asn´t a place to call home,  
but just a place to stay and rest without personality. He saw a bed, a small cupboard and  
a table with a chair, in one of the corners a cardbox stood, he saw some school uniforms  
on top. On the table a beaker full of water stood next to a laptop.  
  
"That´s Kaji-san´s, so I have a connection to the outer world while I stay here." Rei  
said, reading the look on his face.  
  
He sighed.  
"I am sooo glad that you are alright."  
  
She took his arm and pulled him along to the bed; following the pull he sat down next  
to her. Rei leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Uhm... Rei..."  
  
It´s a sign of affection... don´t you understand...?  
"I know, you were afraid, you were in pain with fear... You look tired. Lets rest."  
  
About half an hour later Larsen and Kaji returned from their sightseeing tour and discovered   
the two teenagers laying on the bed sleeping deeply, but fully clothed, resting in each other´s   
arms.  
  
"Just be careful that they do nothing stupid", Larsen whispered.  
  
Kaji grinned.  
"That this has to happen to me, Ryoji Kaji once a super-spy, now a babysitter..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-testing center, noon  
  
"Thanks, Asuka, it´s over!"  
Ritsuko tooks a print-out of last hour´s synch test session and put an other piece of  
paper into the file.  
"So, Misato, now are playing the game, too."  
  
"It´s the right way."  
  
"Do you think Asuka to be able to keep her mouth shut?"  
  
"Hm, good question."  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Go, have a shower and come back then."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"How can this girl be in such a good mood?" one of the operators mumbled. "The readings  
were worse than ever before."  
  
"Probably she´ll be chewed out now."  
  
"I wouldn´t want to be there."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV, conference room, twenty minutes later  
  
"And, how are the results?" the redhead asked.  
  
"Very good."  
Akagi showed her the papers, there was a diagram with several lines in different colours.  
"The grey line shows the result of the test you had before the psycho ray hit you, the   
red line is from today´s test, you can see that you´ve nearly reached your old niveau  
again. The dark blue line is Shinji´s, the bright blue´s Rei´s, with some additional  
training you will be able to surpass Shinji again soon."  
  
"Good, but I am satisfied with what I´ve got now, if I manage to increase to ability,  
it´s okay, if I don´t..."  
Asuka smiled.  
  
"How are you?" Misato asked.  
  
"I haven´t felt better for a long time."  
  
"Ah, yes..."  
At first Shinji, now Asuka... Maybe it´s because of my cooking? Or did Ritsuko put some  
psycho drugs into the LCL?  
  
"But there are even more lines, the black one and the yellow one here... What do they  
show?"  
  
"Well, Asuka, since the Commander came to the conclusion that the three of you, Shinji,  
Rei and you, can´t stay on duty all the time he gave free a ressources to train two  
additional pilots." Ritsuko explained.  
  
"What? Are we going to be replaced?"  
  
"No, they will act as your backup so you won´t stay on duty all the time. But listen,  
to get the money the Commander had to do some exxageration."  
  
"Eh...?"  
  
"Your official synch rate is lower than showed on the report, to show how tired you are  
from being on duty all the time."  
  
"Why mine? Why not Shinji´s or Rei´s?"  
  
"We have a... problem with Rei... I´ll tell you at home."  
  
"But we have the old man... and..."  
  
"The lieutenant´s place is elsewhere. EVA-04 still isn´t ready. So we reactivated the  
Fourth Child."  
  
"Oh, no, not Touji... please, not Touji, not that pervert!" Asuka begged.  
  
Misato giggled.  
  
"And we´ve recruited a Sixth Child."  
  
"Sixth? Shouldn´t it be the Fifth? Or do you could in Japan otherwise?"  
  
"Of course not, Asuka. But we were informed by the committee this very morning that they  
will send us the Fifth Child which is already on its way to Tokio-3."  
  
"So there will be three new pilots altogether. And EVAs?"  
  
"Hm, that still will take some time."  
  
"Ah! Nobody touches my EVA-02, understood?!"  
  
Misato and Ritsuko sweatdropped.  
  
"And who are the other two?"  
  
"Number five´s name is Kaworu Nagisa. And number six is..."  
Misato pressed a hidden button under the table and remotely open the door to the next  
room.  
  
"Hello, Asuka!" Hikari Horaki shouted.  
  
"You???"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato´s apartment, early afternoon  
  
Asuka sat in her room and stared at the wall.  
At first the surprise of Hikari being my backup... that´s way better than Touji or that  
other guy... than the message about what happened to Wondergirl... Rei... if that could  
happen to her, it might also happen to me... or Shinji...  
  
The apartment´s door closed shut.  
"I´m home!" Shinji shouted.  
  
Asuka jumped to her feet and ran out of the room.  
He does need somebody now. He was there for me, now I have to be there for him...  
  
Shinji was standing at the corridor when a red flash came running towards him and embraced him.  
  
"Shinji-I-am-so-sorry-I-have-just-heard-the-bad-news-what-has-happened-to-Rei-and-I..."  
  
"But, Asuka, everything´s alright, Rei is..." he started explaining, caught by surprise.  
  
Misato appeared in the corridor and place a hand over his mouth, dragging him away from  
Asuka at the same time.  
"Asuka, Shinji´s still digesting the news, he needs rest, - don´t you, Shin-chan?"  
  
"Mblblmbl."  
  
"Yes, yes, my poor Shinji. But auntie Misato´s here..."  
She dragged him into his room and whispered into his ear:  
"Asuka hasn´t been initiated into our secret, so act the right way!"  
  
Shinji was gasping for air.  
"You want me to lie?"  
  
"No, just act normally. I don´t like it, too."  
  
"How...?"  
  
"Well, like... like before you were assimilated by EVA-01, sad face, slumbed shoulders...  
Lets go, Shinji, everything´s at stake!"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Evening  
  
Shinji had left the apartment depressed and was walking aimless around.  
I hate lying... not at Asuka... I would go and visit Asuka... Wolf or Kaji... or father  
would let me enter Terminal Dogma... but it would mean turning my back on Asuka...  
He found himself stand a the shore of a small lake.  
  
On a tree´s branch a greyhaired boy of Shinji´s age sat, humming a melody. When he saw  
Shinji standing below the tree, he stopped.  
"A song is good."  
  
Shinji looked up to him.  
"Hm?"  
  
"A song supplies us with joy, it´s is the highest culture that Lilims generated. Don't  
you think so, Shinji Ikari?  
  
"You know my name?"  
  
"Everyone knows your name."  
With these words the boy jumped down from the tree and landed next to Shinji. His eyes  
were red.  
  
"Is that so? Well, who are you?"  
  
"I'm Kaworu. Kaworu Nagisa, just like you are, I am one of the arranged children. I am  
the Fifth Child."  
  
"The Fifth Children? You, Nagisa-kun?"  
  
"Just call me "Kaworu," Ikari-kun."  
  
"Alright, call me Shinji."  
  
Kaworu laughed.  
"See you at tomorrow´s tests."  
  
"Yes, I´m looking forward to it."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV testing center, the next day  
  
"Is there any mistake in this reading?" Fuyutsuki asked, thinking about the conspiracy.  
  
"The testing systems are operating normally." Makoto Hyuga answered.  
  
"No data error detected by Magi." Ritsuko said, frowned and looked at the screen that showed   
the picture of unit two´s entryplug´s interior. It showed Kaworu Nagisa wearing a red plugsuit  
similiar to Asuka´s, looking very relaxed.  
  
"It's surprising that this boy syncronizes with unit two before replacing the core."  
Sweat was on Fuyutsuki´s brow.  
What kind of cuckoo´s egg is this boy?  
  
"Yet, I can't believe. I mean, it's impossible on the system."  
  
"Yes, Maya. The MAGI will analyse the cause. Lets hope they will get a result we like."   
Akagi told her assistant.  
  
"Nevertheless that's the fact..." Misato mumbled. "We have to face it."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Changing room  
  
Shinji sat on the bench, head supported by his hands.  
I can´t return to Misato´s apartment and play this... game... any further... Asuka has   
earned to be told the truth, but Misato ordered me to keep the secret... And I can´t go  
to Rei, it´d be like laughing about Asuka...  
A shadow fell over him.  
"Hm?"  
  
It was Kaworu who smiled at him friendly.  
"Hey, did you wait for me?"  
  
"Uhn, no, I mean..."  
  
"Are you finished?"  
  
"Yes, tests are over, I wanted to shower before going home... but in a way I don´t want  
to go home..."  
  
"You have a place to return, a place where you belong, a home. You are glad about that   
fact, that´s good."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I´d like to talk, may I go with you?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I mean shower, aren´t you going to shower?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But alone?"  
  
"No, you can go with me, the LCL can be a pain when it dries."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Shower  
"You are extremely avoiding the contact with other people, do you fear other people?  
Being ignorant of others, you will ever be neither betrayed nor hurt, though you will   
never escape from feeling sadness." Kaworu explained.  
  
"But there are people who are important to me."  
  
"Yes? That´s good. But why aren´t you with them?"  
  
"Because... because..." He looked at the clock. "Oh, that late! We should go to sleep,  
tests are scheduled tomorrow morning."  
  
"Probably. They gave me a room here at headquarters... The human heart is made of glass,  
it can be hurt easily. I sense that you´ve been hurt before, yes?"  
  
"I... how do you come to know this?"  
  
Kaworu smile.  
"It´s my gift to sense such things. You mustn´t be hurt, I sorry."  
  
"Why are you saying this?"  
  
"Because I like you. It´s not easy to find a friend."  
  
"So we are... friends?"  
  
"If you want to."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-HQ, Kaworu´s room  
  
Shinji was laying on a thin mattress next to Kaworu´s bed.  
No Asuka I have to lie to... nobody telling me what to do...  
  
Kaworu sighed.  
"Are you sure that you want to sleep on the floor? We might change places."  
  
"No, that´s not necessary. You let me sleep here, that´s enough for me."  
  
"What´s on your mind?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You carry a burden, something you can tell noone except a complete stranger."  
  
"Ah..."  
  
"I am listening."  
  
"I've experienced many things after I came here. But I was at my teacher's before.  
Those were silent and calm days, I did nothing but exist. It was okay with me,  
I had nothing to do."  
  
"You dislike other people?"  
  
"There are not many I like or even carry for... There´s my father, but I... hate him...   
or not, I am not sure... Misato, she took me in and I am grateful, but... Wolf and Kaji,   
they´re quite okay, but I don´t know if they truely understand me... It´s very confusing...  
Asuka and Rei... I really like them, one like a sister, the other... I don´t know the  
reason I am telling you all of this."  
  
At first Kaworu laughed, then he sighed.  
"Maybe I was born to meet you..." 


	15. Chapter 13 - The Fifth Child, Part 2: Ta...

Chapter 13 - Fifth Child, Part 2: Tabris  
  
  
EVA-Hangar, next mornig, very early  
  
Kaworu looked up to EVA-02, smiling.  
  
His feet lost contact with the ground when he ascended levitatingly until he hoovered  
in front of the EVANGELIONs eyes.  
"Now, follow me, mirror-image of Adam and servant to the lilims!"  
  
EVA-02 started moving...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-control center  
  
"EVA-02 has been started!"  
  
Misato nearly pushed her cup of coffee from the desk.  
Does this has to happen at the end of my shift?  
"What? Where´s Asuka?"  
  
"At the testing center. Open channel."  
  
"Misato which idiot is piloting my EVA? You´ve said..."  
  
"Later, Asuka!"  
The major interrupted the connection.  
Neither Touji nor Hikari are within Central Dogma, and Shinji also hasn´t reported for duty,   
yet.  
"Who is it?`"  
  
"The entryplug isn´t injected, unit two has no pilot!"  
  
"No pilot? So it can´t be Nagisa also..."  
  
"AT-field detected within Central Dogma!"  
  
"Unit two?"  
  
"No, MAGI are reporting a blue pattern! An angel!"  
  
"No..."  
  
The hangar-cameras zoomed in on Kaworu, hoovering in front of the red EVA.  
  
That boy´s the last engel?  
  
EVA-02 arrived at the central shaft, started descending, passed floor by floor.  
  
Kozo Fuyutsuki stormed into the room, throwing away his headset via which he´d been   
informed about the situation.  
"Close all security gates! Each second is important! Start evacuating!"  
  
Behind him Gendo Ikari appeared.  
  
"The seventeenth angel... SEELE dared it to us directly..."  
  
"The old men want to speed up the schedule by terminating us... I didn´t expect that..."  
He stand down at his desk, open a channel to Terminal Dogma.  
"Rei?"  
  
It took a moment until Rei answered with sleeply voice.  
"Yes?"  
  
"The final angel is on it´s way into Terminal Dogma, with EVA-02."  
  
"I won´t let him pass Heaven´s Gate."  
She didn´t sound sleepy anymore but determinated.  
  
"Take care of you. I´ll send unit one."  
  
"Yes."  
  
A lamp blinked.  
"Shinji?"  
  
"No, it´s me."  
  
"Larsen..."  
  
"I´m within the shaft, alas, EVA-02 has quite an advance."  
  
"Keep moving."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"EVA-02 breaks into the second layer!"  
  
Gendo opened a channel to EVA-01.  
"Pursue unit two! It has to be stop at any cost! Shinji, the angel mustn´t reach Terminal  
Dogma!"  
  
"No, father, you must be in error! Kaworu can´t be an angel!" Shinji shouted.  
  
Gendo was looking for words.  
  
Misato entered the connection.  
"It´s true, you have to accept it! You know who´s within Terminal Dogma!"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Central Shaft  
  
Kaworu looked up the shaft.  
"Shinji isn´t following me..." he mumbled with a hint of relief.  
"I don´t want to fight him..."  
  
He didn´t see the lonely figure climbing the seemingly endless ladder like a machine.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"EVA-01´s descending in pursue of the target!" - "Unit one reaches the fourth layer!  
Contact with the target!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Central Shaft  
  
You lied to me... you manipulated me... you are like father...  
"Stop!" Shinji shouted when EVA-01 nearly had reached EVA-02.  
  
Unit two turned around with Kaworu still hovering in front of its face.  
"I´ve waited for you."  
  
"Kaworu... stop!"  
  
EVA-02 charged with progressive knife drawn. Shinji was just able to draw his own knife  
to parry the attack, started a counterattack.  
Asuka, I am sorry...  
  
"It´s strange, what you lilims are willing to do to survive. I do not understand you..."  
  
"Kaworu, please stop! I do not understand the reason you are doing this!"  
The two EVAs were still wrestling, throwing each other against the walls, trying to find  
the other´s weakness. Finally they lost their balance and fell down into the shaft.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"Both unit have reached the bottom!" - "Target approaches Terminal Dogma!"  
  
"If unit one´s signal disappears..." Misato said without emotions, fully knowing the  
true meaning of her words.  
  
"I know Makoto Hyuga replied. "I will initiate self destruct, better us than humanity."  
  
"I am sorry."  
  
Suddenly the screens went blank.  
  
"What´s that?" Misato shouted. "What´s the reason for the interruption of the video-  
transmittion?"  
  
"Another AT-field within Terminal Dogma, strenght unreadable!" - "Light wave, electromagnetic   
wave and particles are shut out! We´ve lost contact to Terminal Dogma!"  
  
"Maya?"  
  
"The angel, unit two and one, all missing. No contact with the pilot!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma:  
  
Shinji´s head hurt, as did his back and his hands under the LCL-soaked bandages.  
"Kaworu..."  
Slowly he got up, or better, made his EVA getting up.  
EVA-02 laid motionless next to him at the shaft´s bottom like a marionett with cut wires.  
He recognized the large corridor in front of him, at its end was the gate with a crucified   
angel behind it.  
  
In front of the gate Kaworu hoovered and gestured like he wanted to throw open the gate.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control Center  
  
"Readings... Heaven´s Gate been opened!"  
  
"Did the angel reach Adam?"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma:  
  
The gate opened by ghostly hands.  
  
Kaworu levitated over the door step...  
  
Was pushed back...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control Center  
  
"The AT-field within Terminal Dogma has contacted target´s AT-field! Repelled!"  
  
"Another angel?" Misato asked.  
  
"Not clear!"  
  
High above at his desk Ikari closed his eyes.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma:  
  
Kaworu looked into the hall beyond the gate.  
He felled the invisible barriere stopping him from approaching further.  
He saw the source of the barriere, a young female lilim with blue hair and red eyes,  
standing with clenched fist between himself and his destination, next to her another  
lilim stood, an adult male, aiming at him with a gun.  
She can´t keep the field of her soul at this strenght infinitly...  
He saw the crucified figure, whispered its name:  
"Adam, our father... must those born by Adam return to Adam? Must they be erased? Answer  
me, father, tell me what to do... no... you are... you are not Adam... You are Lilith!  
I see..."  
All power seemed to leave him, slowly he lowered his height, touched the floor with his  
feet soon.  
"I understand, Lilith. You did call us... called us in the name of our father, to destroy  
all of creation... to have your revenge on HIM... I won´t do your bidding!"  
  
EVA-01 reached him, grabbed him with one hand and lifted him above.  
  
He looked into the EVA´s eyes, knowing that he was also looking into Shinji´s eyes.  
"Thank you, Shinji, for stopping me from doing a grave mistake."  
  
"Kaworu, why?"  
  
"We believed you lilims were keeping Adam imprisoned, believed you torturing our father,  
believed that it was him calling to us. And so we came to set him free, come to pushish  
you for your actions, come to eradicate you. When raw might proved useless, we started  
exploring you, your bodys, your minds, your souls. Where by siblings failed, I succeeded,  
I walked among you without being recognized for what I am. But my mask was too perfected,  
or you would have been unable to stop me, or I would have walked across the door-step  
without your friends ready to intercept me, or I would have reached Lilith in blind  
happyness and initiated your destruction within knowledge of the deception."  
If I keep existing others will have to die, sooner or later. But, the body I´m wearing  
is able to die. To be or not to be, that makes no difference now anymore, death will set  
my soul free."  
  
"Kaworu, what are you talking about? I don´t understand."  
  
"My final words. Now, please erase me, or you will be erased. And I don´t want you to die,   
my friend. You mustn´t die."  
He closed his eyes, awaiting his death.  
  
Shinji stared at the boy in his EVA´s hand.  
A small squeeze would be enough, just a simple pull at the controls...  
  
You betrayed me... but were betrayed yourself... please, I don´t want to kill you... my  
friend... why... why me...  
  
He let his hurting hands go of the controls, just wished to simply be able to leave the  
entryplug, walk away and leave everything behind.  
  
"... can you hear me? Shinji?" a familiar voice came from the speakers.  
  
Shinji looked up.  
"Wolf? Where are you?"  
  
Larsen stood next to the left foot of unit one, using his headset.  
"I´m down here."  
  
"What shall I do? He´s an angel, I should kill him, reason tells me that this is the only  
possibility... but..."  
  
"What is your heart telling you?"  
  
"I don´t want to kill him, he listened to me, he understands me. Kaworu´s my friend."  
  
"I see. Lift me up."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bring us up to same level, the Fifth Child and me. Maybe there´s a way..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control Center  
  
"We´ve contact with Terminal Dogma again!" - "Both AT-fields are gone!"  
  
"The angel?"  
  
"No readings, Major!"  
  
"Unit one?"  
  
"Light damages, pilot´s unhurt. Unit two has suffered spinal cord damage."  
  
On the screen they saw unit one, holding Nagisa within its fingers while Wolf Larsen was  
slowly lifted up standing on the open palm of the other hand.  
  
"Larsen, what are you doing?" Ikari shouted.  
  
"I need ten minutes."  
  
"The angel must be destroyed!"  
  
"Ten minutes, Ikari! He might be the missing puzzle piece for our defenses."  
  
Gendo hesitated.  
  
"Ikari." Fuyutsuki whispered. "An angel, the last one..."  
  
"You´ve got your ten minutes."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal Dogma:  
  
"Kaworu Nagisa... or what´s your true name?" Larsen asked.  
Between him and the other one was an abyss.  
  
Kaworu´s gaze pierced his eyes, tried digging into his soul.  
  
Onthe first glance he found only darkness.  
How can this be, a lilim without soul? Where is his soul?  
He searched further.  
  
And within the eternal darkness he found a bright flame, stretching into infinity itself,  
towards another being.  
A strong soul... like Shinji´s... strong enough for two...  
  
"I am Tabris." he answered.  
  
"Good, Tabris. I am Wolf. If I did unterstand correctly you don´t want to unite with...  
ahm..."  
  
"Lilith."  
  
"Yes... Lilith anymore and eradicate us all?!"  
  
"There´s no reason for doing so, for punishing you lilims anymore. Lilith rebelled against   
GOD, whatever happens to her is HIS punishment."  
  
"Hm, okay. Is there any other way for you to return... home?"  
  
"My physical existance must be erased."  
  
"SEELE did send you, didn´t they?"  
  
"Yes. They betrayed me."  
  
"And they will still try to finish what you´ve started. SEELE will try to conquer this  
place and initiate Third Impact."  
  
"They mustn´t."  
  
"Good, I see, we´re talking the same language."  
  
"They would kill Shinji."  
  
"Is this important? Does this make any difference?"  
  
"It´s important to me, he´s my friend."  
  
"So, if you´d happen to find Adam, would you have to destroy everything?"  
  
"Only if you were to be punished."  
  
"Larsen, have you gone crazy?" Gendo Ikari´s voice was screaming into his ear.  
Wolf grabbed at his headset to lower the volume.  
"My ten minutes aren´t over yet, Ikari! - I see. Tabris, it´s not my part to finally decide,   
but... if we hand over Adam to you... and find a way for you to return home... would you help   
us against SEELE?"  
  
"How do you lilims call it... a favor for a favor... yes, I will stay, if Shinji wants  
me to."  
  
"Of course, Kaworu, of course I want you to stay!"  
  
Larsen touched his headset again.  
"Now, Commander, what do you say?"  
  
"It´s an angel, damned. We can´t trust him!"  
  
"I don´t want you to trust Tabris... Trust Shinji..."  
  
"Father..."  
  
"You are asking me for quite a lot, Shinji."  
  
"I´ll never again ask you for anything."  
  
"I have to... think..."  
  
Time went by.  
  
Then...  
  
"Shinji, remove the angel from Terminal Dogma, we´ll take over then. If he activates his  
AT-field, he will be erased, tell him."  
  
"Kaworu... he will live?"  
  
"If he keeps to the pact."  
  
Beyond Heaven´s Gate Kaji lowered his gun.  
"I have just had a run-down of my complete life before my very eyes..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"Trust Shinji..."  
  
Ikari stared at his white-gloved scarred hands, knowing that everyone was staring at him.  
  
"Just hope that we didn´t make a pact with the devil, Ikari..." Fuyutsuki whispered.  
  
Gendo looked up. Despite the dark-tinted glasses Fuyutsuki saw the tears in his eyes.  
"I do trust my son."  
  
  
  
next: five against the world 


	16. Interlude - The Hour of the Wolf

Interlude - The hour of the wolf  
  
  
EVA-testing center, the next day  
  
"So, why do we need the angel?" Akagi asked.  
  
Larsen explained his plan.  
  
"That´s madness... Even if we could trust Tabris it won´t work!"  
  
"Doctor, define EVA."  
  
Ritsuko blinked.  
"EVA: genetically engineered after the image of the angel Adam, a giant humaniod with  
cybernetic implants."  
  
Larsen had removed his jackett while she had talked and raised his artificial arm to the  
level of her eyes.  
"Now, define me..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
a landing field out of Tokio-3, three days later  
  
"Tabris still hasn´t made any trouble, you seem to have been right, Commander."  
  
"Luckyly, Lieutenant Ibuki... The Commander hasn´t said a word to me since this incident."  
He looked over at Gendo Ikari who stood at the field´s edge and ignored them.  
  
Larsen and Maya were sitting on folding chair on a nearby meadow, the scientist had her  
laptop on her knees.  
  
The surrounding was filled with men in black. Between some trees EVA-04 stood.  
  
"Are you sure, that this is the right place? And day?"  
  
"Yes, the message was clear."  
  
"I have the flight controls and radar on the screen, there´s nothing approaching."  
  
Larsen smiled.  
"Just wait. When ODIN starts a top secret operation it is done using all available   
ressources."  
He wore a dark uniform without insignias.  
  
Ikari came to them, gave the cyborg a dark glare.  
"Where is your announced help?"  
  
Larsen seemed to listen to an invisible voice.  
Then he pointed at the sky.  
"There."  
  
A low thunder filled the air.  
  
From the west a fast growing blurry shadow approached.  
  
"Transport plane?"  
  
"Yes, Commander."  
  
"Stealth?"  
  
"Yes, the new chameleon-covering."  
  
"Good... invisible for common and military radar, I guess."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Hm, VTOL?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
The plane descended on the field, the chameleon-field was deactivated. Within the holding  
clasps was a green EVA unit with the number four.  
  
Larsen activated his headset.  
"Hikari, your turn."  
  
"Yes, I am coming..."  
  
The black EVANGELION started moving shakingly.  
  
"Very good, don´t rush it."  
  
"It it you, Mister Larsen?"  
She sounded nervously.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Asuka told me about you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, she called you..."  
  
"She called me the old man, didn´t she?"  
  
Unit four nearly stumbled and fell down.  
"Yes..."  
  
Larsen laughted.  
"She can do this, since I like her. And she saved my life once. But you call me either  
Lieutenant Larsen and just Wolf, yes? The last is the one I´d like better."  
  
"Yes, understood."  
  
"Not that nervous, Hikari, have the controlling computer do the most work, okay?"  
  
"Yes, how are the others doing that?"  
  
"Years of training."  
  
"Is it correct that you are a former PALADIN-pilot?"  
  
"I can´t deny that."  
  
"May I tell you a secret? But don´t tell it further, not even Touji."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Giant mechas did fascinate me when I was... younger."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Please, don´t laugh."  
  
"I am not laughing."  
  
"Thank you. I always liked the PALADINs, I think I have a tape of the mission at egypt,  
at the dam, somewhere."  
  
"That was my first mission as commander of the squad."  
  
Meanwhile the plane had landed.  
  
"Really? You were there? That was more than seven years ago!"  
  
"Yes, hey, maybe you do understood now the reason for Asuka calling me the old man."  
  
She laughed. The same time unit four´s walk got more secure. Hikari made it standing with  
the back to the green EVA in the clasps.  
  
"Clasps are opening. Are you ready?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Don´t be that unsecure! You do a great work!"  
  
The green EVA slumped down, was caught by unit four and carried on the back.  
  
"Good! Bring it to the truck."  
  
"It´s Touji´s, isn´t it?"  
  
"Exactly. A nice gift of friendship, isn´t it?"  
He grinned broadly.  
  
"You are laughing!"  
Hikari giggled.  
  
"I hand you over to the truck crew now."  
  
"Yes, thanks."  
  
Larsen turned off his radio.  
  
"Was that necessary?"  
  
"Yes, Commander. The girl was very insecure. A few honestly and friendly words can do a  
wonder at the right time."  
  
"If you think so... I leave this job to you."  
  
"Commander, I think we have problem."  
  
"What kind of problem, Ibuki?"  
  
"We now have two units with the number four, Sir, that might cause confusion."  
  
"Ah..." Gendo watched the black hybrid placing the green EVA on the heavy transport car.  
"The hybrid has earned its number, the other unit will be registered as unit three. I  
will order the paintjob myself after our return to headquarters."  
  
Larsen looked at him, but said nothing.  
  
At the same time the plane´s hatch opened and three persons left. One was a dark blonde  
european male wearing a dark uniform with the insignias of a captain, the second was  
a black haired asian female and the last one was a bluehaired girl of about seven years.  
  
The cyborg smiled when the child saw him and ran towards him.  
  
"Papa!"  
  
Larsen spread his arms and lifted up the girl.  
"Rei!"  
  
Gendo swallowed.  
  
Maya swallowed.  
  
They looked at each other, then at Larsen and the girl.  
  
"How..."  
  
Wolf set the little Rei down and took her by the hand.  
"Commander, that´s my daughter..."  
  
Ikari looked into the girl´s red eyes, Rei Larsen was a younger version of Rei Ayanami.  
"How can this be..."  
  
The little Rei returned the gaze, smiled.  
"I know you..."  
  
Gendo was unable not to return the smile.  
  
The two other persons came to them, the captain saluted..  
"Commander Larsen, Captain Walker at present as ordered."  
  
"Frank, not so stiff. We know each other long enough now."  
Larsen´s attention was with his daughter.  
  
"Thanks, Sir."  
  
"Commander Ikari, these are Captain Frank Walker and Doctor Miyuki Takanawa, two of ODIN´s  
best scientists."  
  
"Sir."  
Walker saluted again.  
  
The woman ignored the military protocol by just nodding.  
"Lieutenant-Commander Larsen, I hope you had good reasons to call me here, since I had  
to interrupt some important work."  
  
"I think so, Doc. You will have to do some workings at my head."  
  
"Did the implants suffer damages?"  
  
"Papa!" the little Rei shouted terrified.  
  
"Don´t worry, darling."  
Larsen caressed her hair to calm her down.  
"No, Doctor, you just have to do some modification."  
  
"Which kind?"  
  
"Compatibility with the MAGI."  
  
Takanawa looked at him with eyes wide open.  
"You are crazy..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Misato´s apartment, evening  
  
"Shinji, where´d go after the tests?" Asuka asked when her roommate finally returned home.  
  
"I visited Kaworu."  
  
"Ah, Kaworu! Every day you are visiting Kaworu!"  
  
"He´s not allowed to leave his room."  
  
"Well, that´s his punishment for taking a tour with my EVA-02!"  
  
A lie again... Asuka doesn´t know that Kaworu´s an angel... How shall I make this...?  
"He´s my friend - why does this interest you?"  
  
"Because... because... Ah! You are spending more time with him than training! Who knows  
when the next angel comes! We have to be prepared!"  
  
She does have another reason... but what kind of reason? And why are we still training to  
pilot the EVAs? Is it because of what Kaji and Wolf told me, because of SEELE?  
"Asuka, if I am needed I´ll be there."  
  
"What are the two of doing all the time?" Her eyes widened. "You don´t have sex, do you?"  
  
Shinji´s eyes widened, too.  
"No... no..." he stammered. "We only talk."  
  
"Talk?"  
  
"Yes, well, mostly it´s me who does the talking while Kaworu listens. But I think, he  
understands me, or at least, he tries to."  
  
"So you´re are whining into his ears... Hm, armer Kerl..."  
(trans: "hm, the poor boy...")   
Then she remembered that the ´tour´ had caused spinal damage at EVA-02 that still wasn´t   
completly regenerated. "Ah, let him suffer!"  
  
"He´s not suffering, he likes to listen."  
  
"And that´s the reason he´s your friend?"  
  
"No... he´s quite okay..."  
  
"Hm."  
Asuka sat down at the table, crossed the arms and tried hard to make an interested face.  
"Okay, I am listening to you."  
  
"Eh... what?"  
  
"I said, that I´d listen to you now, too. I´m tired of sitting here alone all afternoon,  
I can´t even go to Hikari´s place since her and Touji´s training is scheduled in turns with  
our´s. It´s sooo boring! So I can as good listen to you."  
  
"Why? You were never interested before."  
  
"Before I hadn´t the impression of you shunning me."  
She leaned forward. Her low cut T-shirt gave quite in impressing view.  
"Shinji, I need you."  
  
"Uhm... You... need me?"  
  
"Yes, I can´t be alone anymore... whatever I try, I can´t seal my heart anymore."  
  
Like Rei...  
His heart missed a beat, when he thought about the other girl that was still hiding within  
Terminal Dogma.  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA-testing center  
  
"Miyuki Takanawa."  
  
"Ritsuko Akagi."  
  
"Naoko Akagi´s daughter?"  
  
"Yes, Doktor Takanawa, did you know my mother?"  
  
"I´ve worked at the first generation of the biocomputer, I left the team just before the  
first test run of the MAGI."  
  
"... before her death..."  
  
"Yes... It was quite a loss for science."  
  
"And now you are working for ODIN."  
  
"Exactly. Commander Larsen called me to modify his implants."  
  
"We are awaiting an attack..."  
  
"I´ve been informed about the situation."  
  
"Good. The MAGI have calculated that... Commander Larsen and... the Fifth Child should be  
able to remotely control all five EVA and our defensive measures if they both synch with  
the super-computers."  
  
"Something like this has never been tried before... The MAGI are controlling the whole city,  
the human mind would simply be overtaxed."  
  
"That´s the reason for the synchronisation. Larsen and Nagisa will be the necessary spark  
of life to start the EVAs."  
  
"They will replace the pilots."  
  
"Yes. Commander Ikari doesn´t want to endanger the children anymore."  
  
"Why? They´ve done a great work defending against the angels."  
  
"He said he had to keep a promise..."  
  
"Hm... it should be possible to do the modifications... I will need two, three days... then  
some test runs..."  
  
"We should start working, I am already writing a program for the MAGI."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Ikari´s bureau, at the same time  
  
"How is the girl?" Gendo asked.  
  
"She was quite tired after the flight, she´s sleeping now."  
  
"Hm... She´s a clone of Rei, isn´t she?"  
  
Larsen nodded.  
"I´m taking care of her for more than three years now."  
  
"How is this possible? All Reis share one soul, Rei within the Terminal Dogma carries the  
soul... all other clones dissolve after leaving the vat."  
  
"She carries my soul."  
  
"Your... soul...?"  
  
"Don´t ask for the How and Why, I couldn´t give you a sufficient answer."  
  
"Why did you have her come here? It´s dangerous here."  
  
"Ikari, are you truely caring?"  
  
"Yes... for weeks now... I am caring for Shinji... for Rei... for Langley... the people  
under my command... the people of Tokio-3... Since I recogniced that my scenario´d be a  
failture I can´t keep my heart sealed."  
  
"It´s easy to seal one´s heart... if one´s believe to be able to create a better work by  
his actions... I have Rei come here to see her just once again. If we fail it´ll be the   
same if she´s at Hamburg-2 or here. So I have a reason to keep on fighting to my last  
breath..."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Hours went by, became days.  
  
For those being part of the part each hour was pain and relief at the same time. Relief  
since they had won another hour, pain because of not knowing what SEELE was doing.  
  
Ikari had the people of Tokio-3 train evacuating to optimate the amount of time needed to  
move everyone to the shelters. At the same time the personal of NERV was ready around the  
clock, officially preparing for another angelattack.  
  
Shinji spend his time training, visiting Rei or Kaworu and staying at the apartment.  
  
The first test runs of the synchronisation of angel, cyborg and super-computers were   
satisfactory.  
  
They were waiting, waiting for SEELE to take the initiative.  
  
It was a time between hope and fear, the hour before dawn, the time just before the battle,  
the hour of the wolf...  
  
  
  
next: EoE  
  
*sorry of the delay, I had other things to attend to the last days.*  
*no, Wolf Larsen will not become das-multi-EVA-piloting-über-munchkin* 


	17. Chapter 14 - Five against the world

Chapter 14 - Five against the World  
  
  
EVA-hangar  
  
The machine-like man stood in front of the man-like machine, communicating without  
speaking, only forming words within his mind.  
Are you ready?  
  
Repairs completed. Data of Pilot Horaki, Hikari uploaded. Internal batteries charged.  
All systems working.  
  
Good. Look after your new pilot.  
He smiled. For more than ten years the machine had been part of his life and now someone  
else was piloting it into battle.  
  
I will. Good luck, Commander.  
  
Larsen nodded, noticing the hint of emotion within the artificial voice of the hybrid.  
And to you, and to you...  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-HQ, control center, three days later  
  
"Troop movements within the area! The JSSDF assembled severals squads at the north and  
the west, shall I radio them and ask for the reason?"  
  
"No." the older Ikari asked and turned to Fuyutsuki. "It begins, Professor."  
  
"Yes." the older man offered him his hand. "Just in case I won´t be able later... I am  
glad about your change of mind, Ikari."  
  
Gendo took the hand.  
"You´ve always been a very good advisor... and friend, Professor."  
Then he turned towards the crew.  
"Begin evacuating the city. Prepare for combat!"  
  
"Sir, the JSSDF is on our side!"  
  
"We´ll see... Hyuga?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Within your terminals memory is a file called ´Revelation´. The moment JSSDF units are  
setting foot on our territory or I am giving the order, you will send it via all available   
channels."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"Ikari, what kind of data is it?"  
  
"Something you gave me ten years ago, Professor, and a bit more... The truth about SEELE,  
NERV, Project E and Second Impact... Don´t fear, I´m taking most of the responsibility."  
  
  
***  
  
  
Terminal-Dogma:  
  
Wolf Larsen and his adopted daughter left the elevator and walked down the main corridor  
towards the room with the clone vat.  
  
Rei Ayanami was just leaving her room, following the call to the briefing. She saw the  
other girl, stopped in her tracks.  
For a moment she thought to hear another heartbeat. And before her mind´s eye she saw  
blurry memories of a happy childhood.  
"Who..."  
  
The feint sound of her voice made Larsen stop and turn around.  
  
"Who´s that girl, Papa?" the little Rei asked. "She looks like me..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
The older Rei regained her composure.  
"Lieutenant... is that... my sister?"  
  
Larsen just nodded.  
  
The younger Rei looked up to him.  
"Daddy, I´ve a sister?"  
She wanted to move, but he didn´t let her go.  
  
"Later", he whispered.  
  
Rei´s gaze was fixed upon her younger image.  
"I..."  
  
"You have to go up, they are waiting, it has begun." the sound of his voice made it an  
order.  
  
"Yes, Sir..."  
She slowly moved to the elevator, still gazing at the child.  
  
  
***  
  
  
They stood in front of the clone vat, now empty with the exception of the cleaned LCL.  
  
"And I shall enter it, Papa?"  
  
Larsen went to knees, a sad smile on his face.  
"Yes, you will be secure within."  
  
"Can´t I stay with you? I´m afraid of this room."  
  
"It´s not possible."  
He caressed her hair.  
"Come on, I help you."  
  
The small Rei entered the vat, closed her eyes and fell asleep.  
  
Larsen took a deep breath when fire seemed to consume him, when heat and cold raced  
through his body. Stumbling he left the room, kept the light on.  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-HQ, corridor in front of the briefing room  
  
Misato and Asuka were on their way to the briefing.  
  
"Misato, why aren´t we at the hangar now and prepare for combat? That must be a angel!"  
  
"The commander ordered everyone to the briefing."  
  
The entered the room. At the large table two persons were already sitting, Ryoji Kaji  
and Rei Ayanami, the latter with a look of confusion on her face.  
  
"Kaji, you are ba... - Rei???"  
Asuka had to find support with the table.  
  
Rei got up.  
"Asuka."  
  
"Misato, how... why is she alive? You told me..."  
  
"A maneuver of deception for our enemies."  
  
"What? And you knew? And you too, Kaji? Why did nobody tell me?" Her gaze moved from  
one to the next.  
  
"As few people as possible were to be told."  
  
"Not I wasn´t? Who did know it? Who?"  
  
Lights flackered.  
  
"Emergence" it come from the hidden speaker. "MAGI are under attack!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
The MAGI ware forming a triangle and in the triangle´s center a platform with a metal cage  
had been errected, a cage not unliked the cages of the EVAs. On the plattform Larsen and  
Tabris stood, both connected via cables to the MAGI. Lots of wires were connecting Larsen´s  
headimplants to the super-computers.  
  
When Tabris´ gaze met Larsen´s, the angel shivered.  
His soul is back... like a beacon in the dark...  
  
Akagi, Takanawa, Walker und Maya stood at the terminals, checking the readings.  
"Unallowed access!" Maya shouted. "Somebody tries to invade our systems!"  
  
"As expected... they are using the backup-MAGI." Ritsuko growled and smirked darkly.  
"Initiate program 666! Establish contact with MAGI-system HEIMDALL."  
  
"Initiated. ODIN-central system is answering."  
  
"Commander, are you ready?"  
  
"Ready." Larsen answered.  
  
"Links are closed. - Kaworu?"  
  
"Ready."  
The angel smiled.  
They don´t trust me... of course... So they synched the lilim first... Were I able to   
overcome a soul that strong if I wanted?  
  
"Program 666 succeeded. Intruders turned away. Encrypted feedback: contact with HEIMDALL  
established. Backup-MAGI are under our control! Beginning of operation Ragnarok confirmed!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Somewhere, the Council of ODIN  
  
"Our MAGI-system HEIMDALL has gained control over the backup-MAGI. Our agents are ready to  
arrest the members of SEELE."  
  
"Confirmed. Status of Agent Seraph?"  
  
"Seraph´s online."  
  
"So SEELE is daring it... they are attacking NERV..."  
  
"They have no other choice left."  
  
"Tell our agents to stop Keel and his followers by any means available."  
  
"But they are at the asian UN-headquarters!"  
  
"Use the PALADINs."  
  
"Sir, it´s the UN-HQ, there are our people..."  
  
"If it has to be the UN-HQ will be destroyed to the last stone. SEELE must be stopped."  
  
  
***  
  
  
NERV-HQ, control center  
  
"JSSDF-troops advancing!" - "They are crossing perimeterboundaries!"  
  
Makoto Hyuga looked up, his gaze met the vice-commander´s.  
  
Fuyutsuki nodded.  
"Send the data before they cut us off."  
  
"Data sent, Sir."  
  
"State of evacuating measures?"  
  
"Everyone will be within the shelters in a few moments."  
  
"Defense systems?"  
  
"MAGI take over coordination. EVANGELIONs ready." - "Activities above! Bomber squad   
advancing!"  
  
"Blue pattern within Central Dogma detected!"  
  
Kozo twitched.  
"Ignore it! The situation above has priority!"  
  
"Blue pattern unmoving!"  
  
"I said: Ignore it!"  
  
"Bombers are dropping of cargo. It´s N2-Mines!" - "Why are they doing this? Are they  
trying to kill us?" - "That´s no drill..." - "The city..."  
  
"What´s that?" Makoto whispered when his readings flackered.  
  
The main screen was showing the bombers and their cargo, a lot of small dark spots, each  
of them with enough destructive potential to remove a city like Tokio-3 from the face of  
the world.  
  
The mines were stopped in midair by an invisible obstacle, exploded without doing harm  
to the town.  
  
"An AT-field of unknown strenght is protecting Tokio-3!" Hyuga gasped.  
  
Fuyutsuki sank down into the Commander´s chair, allowing himself to collect his thoughts,  
before opening a com-channel to the MAGIs´ room.  
"Doctor Akagi, the plan is working..."  
  
"Troops hindered from advancing further!" - "Satellite-links interrupted! Communication-  
channels to the outside jammed!" - "JSSDF´s proceeding with bombandment!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
Briefing-room  
  
"You knew it, didn´t you?" Asuka shouted at Shinji when he entered the briefing-room with  
Touji and Hikari.  
  
"Uhm..."  
  
"And you lied to me all the time! Why did you lie to me? Argh, I could..."  
  
Touji wanted to intercept but was stopped by Hikari.  
"Don´t, in her anger she´s able to kill somebody."  
  
"Pilot Asuka Soryu Langley!" Gendo Ikari´s voice thundered. Unnoticed by the children and  
the adults the Commander had entered the room. "Situation´s serious, you´re wasting our  
time!" His gaze made her fall silent.  
Ikari looked at the pilots, one after the other, then he nodded.  
"NERV and Tokio-3 are under attack, but not by an angel, the final angel was beaten a week  
ago. The opponents are our own strikeforces. the JSSDF has been ordered to destroy NERV  
and the EVAs. Thanks to the Fifth Child they are unable to enter the city or demage head-  
quarters."  
  
"I do not understand, but why don´t we start start and show them our opinion about their  
actions?" The anger Asuka was felling made her speak her thoughts  
  
"You should only send into battle against the angel, not to fight other human." Gendos  
eyes were fixed on his son while he said that. "We have found a possibility to control  
the EVAs remotely."  
  
"But, father, a remote is not as efficient as a human pilot. But with Kaworu keeping  
the troops at bay, why are we here?"  
  
"The SEELE-Committee that´s the power behind NERV... or better, was it... controls several E  
VA units of series five. We are expecting nine units, most probably they will be able to   
pierce our defenses."  
  
"So you will need pilots, Sir." Rei explained from aside and stepped forward. "I volunteer."  
  
"No, denied. I won´t send you out alone. Your sense of duty to be honored, but I can´t  
allow it, not anymore..."  
  
"Commander..."  
  
"That´s an order."  
  
"She won´t go alone, father."  
Shinji stepped forward, to Rei´s side.  
"Pilot of unit one ready."  
  
Gendo looked into the determination on Shinji´s face, found neither fear nor doubt.  
"Shinji... it´s more dangerous than ever before..."  
  
"I won´t ask you, I won´t beg, father, but the people of Tokio-3 are counting on us  
protecting them. And we the duty to do everything within our might. And that means the  
the EVAs have to be piloted by humans... I have something, I can fight for, now."  
  
Silently Asuka stepped to Shinji´s side.  
  
Touji looked at Hikari, then he stepped to the others´ side.  
"Pilot of unit three reporting for duty, Sir."  
  
For a moment Hikari closed her eyes, straightened and stepped to Touji´s side.  
  
Again Gendo Ikari looked at them, then he nodded.  
"The fate of the world is within your hands... I am trusting it to you." 


	18. Chapter 15 - End of EVANGELION

Chapter 15 - End of EVANGELION  
  
  
Ikari watch the five children until they had entered the elevator and the doors had closed.  
Then he turned around.  
"Major Katsuragi, you´ll coordinate the mission."  
  
"Yes, Commander."  
  
"Kaji, take a dozen of our men and barricade yourself within Terminal Dogma. Prevent anybody  
from reaching Lilith."  
  
Kaji just nodded.  
  
Gendo activated the com-link to control center.  
"Fuyutsuki, how´s our state?"  
  
"AT-dome´s erected, but don´t ask me how they are doing it. MAGI are registrating the   
approaching of several transport planes."  
  
"They are coming."  
  
"Yes, Ikari. Wait a second... We have an alert! A JSSDF-commando is invading the western   
maintenance tunnels!"  
  
"Send any available hand to intercept, I´ll met them at sector C-19!"  
  
"Ikari, you don´t want to..."  
  
"I´ve just sent my son, Rei and three other kids into battle... Fuyutsuki, it was an honor to  
work by your side."  
He closed the connection.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"All EVA units are ready for take off." Misato was told when she entered the room.  
  
"Bring units one and two to the city´s center and the others to the shaft the fourteenth angel   
made."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Shinji, you´ll be baiting them. You others will be passive until I order you to attack, so   
don´t build up AT-fields. That´ll be an ambush. Keep the silence!"  
  
The pilots confirmed.  
  
She watched the EVAs moving into position, EVA-01, armed with a positronrifle on a large square  
at the center of Tokio-3, the four others within the cover of several skyscrapers, armed with  
sniperrifles.  
  
"Nine transports approaching! JSSDF-troops are withdrawing!"  
  
"Initiate Ground-air-defense!"  
  
"Confirmed, Major."  
  
From formerly hidden launching shaft rockets shot into the sky. Until now NERV had been passive,  
had endured the assault against the AT-dome in silence. But now the installations awoke.  
Explosions filled the sky.  
  
"Direct hit. Another one. Major, confirming five hits!"  
  
"Check it!"  
  
"Transports destroyed... no..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Enemy EVANGELION units are not destroyed!"  
  
Five ugly white giant with similarities to birds of prey, descended using their jetpacks,   
breaching the AT-dome like it wasn´t there at all.  
  
"Shinji, look out!"  
  
"Roger!"  
Unit one opened fire.  
  
"Unit zero, two, three, four! Open fire!"  
  
  
***  
  
  
EVA testing center  
  
"AT-field breached..." Maya reported.  
  
Ritsuko didn´t answer, she and the captain were hurrying to the platform where had fallen down  
in cramps.  
  
Kaworu too was trying to regain his balance, making the impression of having been hit by a   
giant´s fist.  
"No power left..."  
  
"Doesn´t matter."  
Akagi disconnected Larsen from the MAGI.  
  
"AT-field´s gone."  
  
Larsen´s hand grabbed Ritsuko´s arm. He was bleeding from the nose.  
"The... children..."  
  
"They will make it!"  
  
"EVA-04... no AT-field... only heat-shields... no protection..."  
He trembled.  
  
Kaworu touched his head.  
"Calm down, lilim."  
What is he doing? His soul is leaving... no... Shinji taught me friendship, you taught me   
trust. You mustn´t leave...  
He felt another presence, a cold wisp.  
Azrael, Angel of Death, let him...  
Within the darkness the tiny flame still was burning.  
I won´t let you die...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"EVA-04 forms AT-field!"  
  
"Unit four? No error?"  
  
"Unit four."  
  
Two of the white series five-EVAs had been destroyed while descendind, their S2-engines had  
exploded, showing their weakness. Now it no longer was 5 vs. 9 but 5 vs. 7. The remaining  
seven enemies atacked unit one.  
  
The first to react was Rei, coming to her friends aid, with Touji and Hikari giving covering,  
and Asuka close on her heels.  
  
"Analyse the weapons used by the EVAs!"  
  
"Analysing, Major. MAGI notices similarities to the Lancea Longinus as well as to the defense  
of the sixteenth angel."  
  
"Shinji, Rei, Asuka, Touji, Hikari! Look out for their swords! If they manage to hurt your   
units you´ll be suffering the same wounds!"  
  
Shinji´s answer was a scream of pain when one of the seven EVAs thrust its blade through the  
chest of unit one, breaching its core.  
  
"Shinji!"  
  
EVA-01 lost its balance, went down to the knees, was hit by another sword that pierced the  
right shoulder.  
  
"Synchrate of unit zero above 100%... the same with unit two! Berserkers..."  
  
One of the screens in front of Hikari Horaki read:  
Emergency-upload of pattern Seraph completed...  
  
  
***  
  
  
The surface  
  
It wasn´t a nice view...  
  
EVA-01 was laying on the ground unmoving while Rei and Asuka assaulted the white EVAs.  
  
Touji´s EVA went down onto one knee and aimed its rifle, Hikari doing the same.  
  
Asuka pushed one of the series-five EVAs aside, digging with the bare hand into the next one´s  
chest, ripping the S2-engine out of its body, kicking at a third one´s stomach, that one   
stumbled directly into Touji´s line of fire, exploded when hit.  
  
Rei grabbed Asaka´s first victim, ripped one of its arms out of the socket, beating it with  
its own arm, then pulling out her progressive knife and thrusting it into the next one´s belly.  
A sword was thrusted through her EVA´s leg, at the same time her plugsuit was ripped open at  
the corresponding place and a deep wound opened that bleeded heavyly.  
She didn´t feel it, didn´t care.  
  
One white EVA turned away from unit one, assaulted unit three.  
Touji couldn´t raise his rifle fast enough. The next moment the enemy was upon him.  
  
"Touji!" Hikari screamed.  
  
Calm down! a voice whispered within her head.  
  
"What... Who..."  
  
Right above her own hands she saw two ghostly hands hovering, hands of steel.  
  
On her screen she saw Touji´s wrestling with the other one.  
  
Help him.  
  
"How? I can´t fire..."  
  
The ghostly hands clenched their fists, claws popped out between the knuckles.  
I´ll help you.  
  
Hikari looked down at her controls, then she nodded.  
And made her own EVA grow its claws...  
  
When the dust settled there was no series five EVA standing anymore...  
  
  
***  
  
  
Control center  
  
"Fourth EVA destroyed. Pilot Ayanami: profund bleedings at the leg. Fifth EVA destoyed.   
State of pilot Ikari: Critical, internal bleedings. Pilot Langley: bleedings at the arm."  
  
EVA-04 jumped at the white EVANGELION that had assulted unit three, grabbing it at the neck  
and severing it from throat to crotch.  
  
Within a fireball the last EVA of series five exploded.  
  
"I´ll meet with the medic above!"  
Misato hurried out of the room.  
  
"Vice-commander, our men have been engaged in combat with the invaders within the tunnels!"  
  
"What are the JSSDF-troops doing?"  
  
"Withdrawing." - "Sir, communication-lins weren´t jammed anymore! JSSDF was ordered to   
withdraw!" - "Satelite-links reestablished! UN-headquarters at Tokio-2 are under attack of  
PALADIN-squad!"  
  
"SEELE´s hideout", Fuyutsukki mumbled.  
  
"Commander Ikari has arrived with the reinforcements!" - "They´ve got him... The Commander´s  
been shot... commanding officer down...!" 


	19. Chapter 16 - Aftermath

Chapter 16 - Aftermath  
  
  
NERV-infirmary, after the battle  
  
Gendo Ikari got up from the bed, his face a mask hiding his pain. A bandage was wrapped   
over chest and shoulder, showing a red spot. His left arm was in a sling.  
  
"You should stay here, Sir, the bullet has passed through your shoulder" the doctor tried  
to talk him into staying.  
  
"Let me." He grabbed his jacket, carrying it over is shoulder with the still good arm.  
"I have to see after my son."  
  
At the door Ritsuko Akagi stood.  
"He´s just out of the ER."  
  
"And?" Fear was in his voice.  
  
"He´s alive. A damaged lung, a broken shoulder and several other things, but nothing our  
medicine couldn´t cope with."  
  
"The others?"  
  
"Touji and Hikari weren´t hurt after EVA-04 had built up an AT-field to protect them. Rei  
and Asuka have suffered some wounds, but nothing critical."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Gendo... EVA-01 was damaged badly... the core is... silent."  
  
He just nodded.  
"Maybe that the best way..."  
  
"What are you going to do now?"  
  
"Looking after Shinji."  
  
"And later?"  
  
"The world does know now what really happened at the antarctis. I was involved, as I was  
involved in many things. It´s time for me to face responsibility. I will face my sentence,  
whatever it will be."  
  
  
***  
  
  
In front of Shinji´s room Asuka and Rei were waiting for the nurse allowing them to enter.  
  
Rei was walking on crutches, her leg was thickly bandaged.  
  
Asuka had one arm in a sling and a bandaged head.  
  
Both were looking at each other with expectation.  
  
Rei finally broke the silence.  
"You do love him, don´t you?"  
  
"How do you want to know this?"  
  
"Because I love him, too."  
  
"What? My Shinji?"  
  
"Second... Asuka... I don´t wish to argue."  
  
  
"... me, too... I am way too tired..."  
  
"Good."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Rei...?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I am glad that you are still alive."  
  
Rei tilted her head and smiled.  
"Thank you." 


	20. Epilogs

Epilog I:  
  
  
In front his bureau the officiers were waiting for him to follow.  
  
"Major Katsuragi, you took care of Shinji before, and you did a good job. So, please, take  
care for him, until I´ve heard my sentence."  
  
"I will, Commander Ikari."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"And I will take care of Rei", Ritsuko explained.  
  
"You?"  
  
"Yes. I thought her to be some sort of rival... Now I think that I have to compensate."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I will take care of her like she was my own daughter."  
  
Ikari looked at Kaji and Larsen.  
"And have to thank you for your aid. Did Tabris return home without complications?"  
  
"As he told us, we sent him and Adam into the lunar orbit and detonated the craft."  
  
"Good. So I can leave now. Larsen, please give your daughter my greetings."  
  
"I will. She asked about you right after she woke up."  
  
Ikari nodded with a thin smile.  
"Fuyutsuki, you are in command now."  
  
"Ikari."  
  
He walked past them, left the room.  
"Thank you for your patience." he told the ministery of law officials.  
  
"Wait, please!"  
  
The officials stepped aside, making way for Shinji who sat in a wheelchair pushed by his  
two female fellow pilots. When their stopped in front of Gendo, Rei nodded at the   
commander and dragged Asuka away to the next corner.  
  
Gendo´s throat was dry when he watched his son, even knowing that he wouldn´t have to use  
a wheelchair for a long time - just until he had recovered from the more grave injuries.  
"Shinji..."  
  
"Father."  
  
The two looked at each for a very long time, like they were meeting for the very first time.  
  
"Come." one of the officials said.  
  
"I have to go, Shinji."  
  
"Yes. I forgive you..."  
  
The older Ikari nodded, smiled and followed the officials.  
  
  
  
  
Epilog II:  
  
  
The street in front of the building where Misato´s apartment is, a month later  
  
Larsen and Kaji were sitting in a car in front of the house.  
  
"Thanks for driving me here, Wolf."  
  
"No problem, if I have to come back to Japan to make my report before the judges, I can  
at least say ´Hello´ to them."  
  
"What do you think will be the sentence?"  
  
"Good question. Depends on how the judges think about Ikari´s change of mind within their  
decision. I don´t think that he will be sentenced to death like Keel and his followers."  
  
"Our statements will be quite important."  
  
"Yes. Shinji shouldn´t have to lose his father a second time."  
  
"Hm... Eh, look, Wolf - there´s Rei!"  
  
"Where? Ah!"  
  
Rei Ayanami stood in front of the building´s door, pushing a bell-buttom.  
  
"What´s she doing here?"  
  
"She and Shinji have become quite close friends - and if Asuka wouldn´t intercept   
everytime... who knows..."  
  
The door was opened from inside and Asuka stormed out, dragging Shinji along with her.  
  
"Ah, good to see that they are okay again."  
  
Asuka stopped before colliding with Rei. Several seconds went by with nobody moving, then  
Asuka demonstratly hooked her arm with Shinji´s while the boy´s eyes kept darting around.  
  
"I guess he´s about to faint."  
  
"Kaji..."  
Larsen sighed.  
"Shouldn´t we do something?"  
  
"So Asuka can kill us? No way!"  
  
Rei frowned. Then she hooked her arm with Shinji´s free arm, so that the boy was now between  
the two girls.  
  
Kaji laughed.  
"Seems like our problems are over now... but his are just beginning..."  
  
Larsen joined the laughter.  
"For which of them will he decide? What do you think?"  
  
"Hm, if I were him, I´d know what I´d do..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Both..." Kaji laughed.  
  
"Ah! I feel sick...!"  
  
  
The END  
  
  
  
Coming soon:  
Revised German Version of Turning Points III (Kreuzwege III)  
Translation of Turning Points IV: Invasion (set after 3I) 


	21. Final Words

Final Words:  
  
aaarggghhhh!  
  
*ups, wrong fic*  
  
Okay, TP II is over.   
I was asked why it didn´t have a definite ending considering the pairing Shinji/Rei.   
This has two reason: 1) the focus of the story was on Gendo Ikari and his change of   
mind, 2) I like to keep open the possibility of writing a continuation. Alas, at the   
moment I guess that I won´t continue the TP II-timeline after EoE, since I only   
managed a very very dark Dark-fic, so if anyone of you has an idea, feel free to   
tell me or even post a continuation of your own.  
Maybe I even write an omake set about four years later...  
  
I hope, you liked TP II, without positive feedback I wouldn´t be able to keep up  
writing since I would consider the time wasted.  
At the moment I am working at the translation of Turning Points IV: Invasion, a  
story set after 3I within the alternater world shown in episode 26. The story   
originally had 26 chapters each representing a new episode, I dubbed the FF ´the  
second season´.  
  
Some spoilers:  
A world reborn, a new love found...  
A familiar character wearing an unfamiliar face...  
A new enemy, an unexpected ally...  
A new mission, leading four children from the city of Tokio to the south pole and   
beyond earth itself...  
  
And if anybody wants to post this FF on his or her own side, he or she has my   
permission, just drop me a note, so I know, okay? 


End file.
